Japan launches moon lander and X-ray observatory Japan sent a new X-ray space telescope into low Earth orbit and a first, small lunar lander on its way to the moon with a single launch late Wednesday.
It’ll definitely help develop technology that’ll be useful for outer solar system missions.
It doesn’t make sense as a stop between the Earth and Mars. You have to slow down to enter orbit, then speed back up to leave it. That’s a waste of fuel unless there’s a good reason to stop there, like for fueling or assembly, but it makes more sense to do that in Earth orbit using distributed life.
It’ll definitely help develop technology that’ll be useful for outer solar system missions.
It doesn’t make sense as a stop between the Earth and Mars. You have to slow down to enter orbit, then speed back up to leave it. That’s a waste of fuel unless there’s a good reason to stop there, like for fueling or assembly, but it makes more sense to do that in Earth orbit using distributed life.