A groundbreaking satellite, poised to illuminate celestial objects in an unprecedented manner, and the lunar lander known as the “Moon Sniper,” embarked on their journeys on Wednesday night.

The launch by the Japanese Space Agency, which had been rescheduled multiple times due to adverse weather conditions, took place aboard an H-IIA rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center at 7:42 p.m. ET on Wednesday, or 8:42 a.m. Japan Standard Time on Thursday.

This event was broadcast live on JAXA’s YouTube channel, providing viewers with both English and Japanese commentary, CNN reported.

The satellite in question, XRISM (pronounced “crism”), or the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission, represents a collaborative effort between JAXA and NASA, with contributions from the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.

Written by staff