After a brief speculation over its fate, the Japanese space agency, Jaxa, confirmed that its ambitious Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) landed on the Moon.

However, there was a hitch during the landing attempt and the spacecraft is yet to receive solar power. The spacecraft is currently powered on battery life.     

The landing makes Japan the fifth country to touch the lunar surface. 

The precision landing technology of SLIM, also referred to as the "Moon Sniper," represents a significant advancement in lunar exploration. Unlike previous missions that targeted broad landing zones, SLIM was designed to land within a mere 100 meters (328 feet) of its intended target. This level of accuracy is unprecedented for a robotic probe, especially one that is low-cost and lightweight.

"Slim has targetted the high precision landing with an accuracy of 100 meters, but we need to analyse data to confirm it," senior officials of the Japanese space agency said in a press conference. 

(With inputs from agencies)