TOKYO (AP) — Japan landed a spacecraft on the moon Saturday, an attempt at the world’s first “pinpoint lunar landing.” The milestone puts Japan in a club previously occupied by only the United States, the Soviet Union, India and China.

Several nations and corporations are also planning expeditions to the moon. Achieving success would result in recognition and praise in the international scientific and diplomatic communities, as well as potential political advantages at home. However, a failed mission would be a costly and public humiliation.

Take a glance at notable recent and upcoming endeavors, and their potential significance.

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Next year, NASA intends to send astronauts on a mission to orbit the moon, with the goal of landing on its surface in 2026.

Earlier this week, Astrobotic Technology, a company based in the United States, announced that their lunar lander will soon disintegrate in Earth’s atmosphere due to a failed attempt to land on the moon.

The spacecraft, called Peregrine, experienced a fuel leak which led to Astrobotic’s decision to cancel their mission of making the first American landing on the moon in over 50 years. The company believes that a valve malfunction caused a tank to break.

NASA is aiming to make lunar deliveries available for private enterprises, as the U.S. government endeavors to send astronauts back to the moon.

Currently, the US has an advantage over China and other countries in terms of funding and organizing supply chains for space exploration. Private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin have placed a strong emphasis on conducting manned space missions.

Next month, Intuitive Machines, a company based in the United States, is scheduled to launch its own lunar lander.

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In the previous year, India achieved the milestone of being the first country to successfully land a spacecraft near the south pole of the moon. This region is of particular interest to scientists as they speculate that there may be frozen water in the perpetually dark craters, which could potentially support upcoming missions.

In 2019, a programming error resulted in an Indian spacecraft crashing during its landing on the moon. However, the successful $75 million mission in August was met with widespread celebration, with people rejoicing in the streets and proclaiming India’s position as a leading scientific nation.

Scientists from India have stated that the next phase involves sending humans on a mission to the moon.

The achievement is viewed as crucial for increasing the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi before a significant general election this year.

Since the 1960s, India has been advocating for a space program and plans to travel to the International Space Station in partnership with the United States in the coming year.

The city of New Delhi considers success in the realm of space to be crucial in its competition with China, a neighboring country armed with nuclear weapons. Tensions between India and China have escalated following violent conflicts along their border in 2020.

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In 2013, China successfully landed on the moon and last year, they sent a three-person crew to their orbiting space station. Their goal is to have astronauts on the moon by the end of this decade.

In 2020, a spacecraft from China successfully brought back fresh lunar rocks from the moon, marking the first time in over four decades that such samples have been retrieved. The country’s initial manned space voyage in 2003 established it as the third nation, following the USSR and the United States, to send an individual into space.

China’s aspirations in space are tied to its competition with the United States as the top two economic powers vie for control and dominance in Asia and other regions.

Due to concerns from the United States regarding the Chinese space program’s connections to the military, China constructed its own space station after being denied participation in the International Space Station.

China and the US are both exploring the idea of establishing permanent manned stations on the moon, sparking discussions about potential rivalry and collaboration on the lunar terrain.

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Last year, Russia’s Luna-25 was unsuccessful in its mission to land in the same region of the moon that India had previously reached.

The recent failure was attributed to the 47-year gap following the Soviets’ moon landing, during which Russian scientists believe they lost valuable space expertise.

In 1957, the Soviets successfully sent the first satellite into space and in 1961, they became the first to send a human into space. However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia’s space program has faced challenges due to corruption and sanctions from Western countries, hindering scientific progress.

In 2027, Russia has plans for a new mission to the moon.

The decline of Russia’s space program and the increasing influence of private companies such as SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, have resulted in the loss of Russia’s former dominant position in the profitable international space launch industry.

While India’s accomplishments were viewed as a sign of its emergence as a major world power, there are those who view Russia’s shortcomings as a reflection of its waning global influence and power.

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Reporters from the Associated Press made contributions to this report from various locations across the globe.

Source: wral.com