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Japan's "Moon Sniper" mission blasted off Thursday as the country's space programme looks to bounce back from a string of recent mishaps, weeks after India's historic lunar triumph, reports AFP.
The United States, Russia, China and as of last month India have successfully landed a probe on the Moon, with two failed Japanese missions -- one public and one private.
Watched by 35,000 people online, the H-IIA rocket lifted off early Thursday from the southern island of Tanegashima carrying the lander, which is expected to touch down on the lunar surface in early 2024.
To cheers and applause at mission control, the "SLIM" Moon probe and the XRISM space research satellite developed with the US and European space agencies both separated soon afterwards.
The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) is nicknamed the "Moon Sniper" because it is designed to land within 100 metres of a specific target on the surface.
Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul
