Japan's JAXA Collaborates With ISRO For The Smart Lander For Exploring Moon

India's space program broadens the scope of research & development after the historic effort of IRSO to land on the Moon. ISRO is working along with JAXA, a leading space agency of Japan to broaden the scope of research & developing.The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is the national research and development agency of Japan and conducts advance research in the field of space.

Japan is developing Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) that has an advanced pin-point landing technique “landing where it is desired to land in accuracy up to 100m” that is impossible for anyone in the past, which is currently aiming for launch in 2021 fiscal year.

JAXA and ISRO are promoting cooperation based on the MOU in November 2016 and the Implementing Arrangement in December 2017. In 2018, the Joint Mission Definition Review was conducted. 

 Ambassador of Japan, Kenji Hiramatsu cheered the mission Chandrayyan2 and said, "We applaud the ISRO and their scientists for their challenges with the Chandrayaan-2.We are confident India will continue her contributions to lunar exploration which Japan proudly works toward as well." He announced the joint exploration with India,remarked:"The JAXA and ISRO are planning a Japan-India joint lunar polar exploration that will be launched in early 2020s."

India's pioneer space agency ISRO took an gigantic and complex mission known as Chandrayaan 2 to land on the far side of the Moon. Though the lander, Vikram lost contact with the main lunar craft the Orbiter has successfully traced the position of Vikarm Lander which is found on the surface of Moon and image shown a 'tilted' position. The Orbiter is now able  to take pictures of the lander once every four hours. 

On the modalities of such a complex mission and joint cooperation with India he said: "We are going to proceed to the Joint System Requirements Review. The plan for joint lunar exploration is being examined from a technical and scientific point of view. Details will be announced in the near future."

In terms of the realization of high-accuracy image navigation to apply SLIM's technology to the shadowy lunar region, the knowledge and data obtained from this Chandrayan-2 will greatly contribute to Japan's research and development.

"Japan has not only SLIM's high-accuracy landing technology, but also Japan's superior electric-power technology, thermal control technology, energy saving technology, sensing technology, and robot technology," ambassador further explained.

In the complex world of space technology Japan has developed the top-of-the-line navigation technology demonstrated in the first historical asteroid sample return mission "Hayabusa", the best ion engine, heat-resistant materials. "Hayabusa" is an asteroid explorer which successfully conducted interplanetary flight by using ion engines and sample returns from an asteroid. 

Along, an environmental control technology acquired through the operation of "Kibo" is the largest experimental block of the ISS(International Space Station). Japan has pioneered many of  world's best technologies in the area of space exploration.

Ambassador Kenji spoke of such collaboration with India as a path breaking said: "when the Japan-India joint lunar exploration is implemented, it will aim to achieve outstanding results by combining the advanced technologies of India and these Japanese technologies. "

He remarked on the tradition of close relations with India: "Japan and India are the most trusted friend in the world and reliable comrades who believe in freedom and democracy."