Due to severe winds barely 30 minutes before launch, Japan's space agency postponed the launch of its "Moon Sniper" lunar mission for a third time on Monday.
Despite India's successful Moon probe landing last week, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) did not announce a new launch date.
Along with a research satellite created by JAXA, NASA, and the European Space Agency, the rocket is scheduled to take off from Tanegashima Island in the southern part of Japan.
Tatsuru Tokunaga, a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries official in charge of the launch, told reporters the mission was postponed as winds did not meet the launch conditions and that it would take “at least three days” to prepare for another attempt.
The firm said the launch needs to happen before the current window expires on September 15.
Last week, India landed a craft near the Moon’s south pole in a historic triumph. India’s success came days after a Russian probe crashed in the same region, and four years after a previous Indian attempt failed at the last moment.
Despite India's successful Moon probe landing last week, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) did not announce a new launch date.
Along with a research satellite created by JAXA, NASA, and the European Space Agency, the rocket is scheduled to take off from Tanegashima Island in the southern part of Japan.
Tatsuru Tokunaga, a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries official in charge of the launch, told reporters the mission was postponed as winds did not meet the launch conditions and that it would take “at least three days” to prepare for another attempt.
The firm said the launch needs to happen before the current window expires on September 15.
Last week, India landed a craft near the Moon’s south pole in a historic triumph. India’s success came days after a Russian probe crashed in the same region, and four years after a previous Indian attempt failed at the last moment.
