Tokyo (AP) — Japan has achieved a historic milestone, becoming the fifth country to successfully land a spacecraft on the moon. The unmanned spacecraft, named the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), made a soft landing on the lunar surface early Saturday, marking Japan’s entry into the elite group of nations that have reached the moon.

Despite the successful landing, space officials noted that additional time is needed to analyze whether SLIM accomplished its mission priority of achieving a pinpoint landing. Furthermore, the spacecraft’s solar panel failed to generate power, potentially limiting its activity on the moon.

Hitoshi Kuninaka, the head of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, a unit of Japan’s space agency, expressed confidence that SLIM’s small rovers were launched as planned, with data being transmitted back to Earth. However, he highlighted the solar panel issue, stating that the craft has limited battery life and emphasized the priority of gathering as much data as possible before the battery depletes.

Japan now joins the ranks of the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and India as a nation that has successfully landed on the moon. SLIM, a lightweight spacecraft about the size of a passenger vehicle, utilized “pinpoint landing” technology, aiming for a target of just 100 meters (330 feet) – a level of precision unseen in previous moon landings.

While SLIM’s landing is a significant achievement, the solar panel malfunction poses a challenge. The spacecraft is expected to provide valuable data about the lunar surface, and space officials are working to maximize its capabilities within the remaining battery life.

Despite the solar panel setback, the news was celebrated by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who expressed delight and pledged the government’s continued support for such endeavors. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson also congratulated Japan, emphasizing the value of collaboration in the U.S.-led multinational Artemis Moon exploration.

SLIM’s mission involved testing technology for precise moon landings and seeking clues about the moon’s origin through mineral analysis. The spacecraft, equipped with pads on its legs for impact cushioning, aimed to land near the Shioli crater, an area covered in volcanic rock.

Japan’s successful mission comes just days after a U.S. private company’s moon mission failed due to a fuel leak. SLIM’s achievement is seen as a significant boost for Japan’s space program, which had experienced setbacks in recent attempts.

The mission’s success is crucial for Japan to demonstrate its prowess in precision landing technology, contributing to the nation’s standing in the global space exploration race. Despite the challenges, SLIM’s landing marks a noteworthy accomplishment in Japan’s ongoing efforts to advance space technology.