Japan is next country to shoot for the moon after Russia and India missions

JAXA’s H2-A rocket, which is scheduled to take off on Sunday morning, is expected to touch down on the moon in January or February. - PHOTO: AFP

TOKYO (Bloomberg): Japan will be the latest country to aim for the moon this weekend, just days after a Russian spacecraft collided with the lunar surface and India’s Chandrayaan-3 landed near its south pole.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) H2-A rocket is scheduled to take off on Sunday morning from Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan, carrying an advanced imaging satellite and a lightweight lander expected to touch down on the moon in January or February.