Today in Space! Sept. 13, 2007: Japan Launches 'Kaguya' Moon Mission

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Welcome to "Today in Space," where we peer back in our archives to find historic moments in spaceflight and astronomy. So enjoy a blast from the past with Space.com's Hanneke Weitering to look back at what happened on this day in space!

On Sept. 13, 2007, Japan launched the Kaguya spacecraft on a mission to the moon. Formally known as SELENE (SELenological and ENgineering Explorer), it was Japan's second moon mission.

Kaguya launched from Tanegashima Space Center on a Japanese H-2A rocket and looped around the Earth twice before heading to the moon. It carried 14 science instruments and two microsatellites to map the moon's surface and study its gravitational field.

This artist's interpretation shows Japan's Kaguya satellite in lunar orbit after jettisoning one of its smaller satellites.
Credit: JAXA/Akihiro Ikeshita.

After a 20-day journey, it arrived in lunar orbit. The mission consisted of three spacecraft: a main orbiter, a small communications satellite, and a third small satellite to map the moon's gravitational field. After about a year of lunar observations, the mission ended with a planned crash landing on the lunar surface. And it all happened today in space!

For most of human history, the moon was largely a mystery. It spawned awe and fear and to this day is the source of myth and legend. But today we know a lot about our favorite natural satellite. Do you?

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Moon Master: An Easy Quiz for Lunatics

For most of human history, the moon was largely a mystery. It spawned awe and fear and to this day is the source of myth and legend. But today we know a lot about our favorite natural satellite. Do you?