Japanese small probe to moon yet to establish stable communications

Japan's space agency says a small probe designed to become the country's first spacecraft to land on the moon has yet to establish stable communications after its separation from a large US rocket.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, is looking into the situation.

The Omotenashi probe lifted off aboard the Space Launch System rocket launched by NASA from Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday.

The craft is planned to hit the moon's surface at a speed of 180 kilometers per hour, then send data back to Earth.

JAXA says Equuleus, another small Japanese probe launched on the SLS, is operating normally.

Equuleus's mission is to reach a specific area on the far side of the moon. The team plans to spend about 18 months investigating whether the probe can fly to locations important for space exploration without difficulty.

Source: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221117_06/