# SORA-Q

> Japanese tiny lunar rover, landed as part of the SLIM mission

**Wikidata**: [Q124658261](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q124658261)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/sora-q-q124658261

## Summary
SORA-Q is a Japanese tiny lunar rover developed for the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) mission. Also known as the Lunar Excursion Vehicle 2 (LEV-2), it is a compact, transformable robot weighing 250 grams with a diameter of 8 centimeters. It successfully landed on the Moon on January 19, 2024.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** Model of Japanese lunar rover (also referred to as Lunar Excursion Vehicle 2 or LEV-2).
- **Mass:** 250 grams.
- **Dimensions:** 8 centimeters in diameter.
- **Country of Origin:** Japan.
- **Mission:** Part of the SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) mission.
- **Developers:** Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Tomy, Sony Group, and Doshisha University.
- **Launch Date:** September 6, 2023, at 23:42:11.
- **Launch Vehicle:** H-IIA (specifically H-IIA-47).
- **Launch Site:** Yoshinobu Launch Complex Launch Pad 1.
- **Landing Date:** January 19, 2024.
- **Landing Location:** Near Shioli crater.

## FAQs
### Q: What is the SORA-Q rover?
A: SORA-Q is a tiny Japanese lunar rover, technically designated as the Lunar Excursion Vehicle 2 (LEV-2). It is a palm-sized robot developed by a coalition of organizations including JAXA, Tomy, and Sony.

### Q: When did SORA-Q land on the Moon?
A: SORA-Q landed on the Moon on January 19, 2024. It was carried to the lunar surface aboard the SLIM mission lander.

### Q: Who built the SORA-Q lunar rover?
A: The rover was a collaborative effort between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the toy company Tomy, Sony Group, and Doshisha University.

## Why It Matters
SORA-Q represents a significant achievement in space exploration miniaturization and public-private partnership. Weighing only 250 grams, it demonstrates how ultra-compact, cost-effective hardware can successfully operate in harsh extraterrestrial environments. Its development lineage—uniting a space agency (JAXA) with consumer electronics (Sony) and toy manufacturers (Tomy)—highlights a shift in aerospace manufacturing where commercial expertise creates viable space hardware. As a component of the SLIM mission, SORA-Q contributed to Japan's first successful precision lunar landing, proving that small-scale robotic explorers can play a critical role in major national space endeavors.

## Notable For
- **Ultra-Compact Size:** Recognized as a "tiny" lunar rover with a mass of only 250g and an 8cm diameter.
- **Commercial Collaboration:** Notable for being co-developed by Tomy (a toy manufacturer) and Sony Group alongside JAXA.
- **Successful Lunar Deployment:** Successfully deployed and landed on the Moon on January 19, 2024.
- **Transformable Design:** While specific mechanics are not detailed in the source text, its classification as a specific "model" and diameter measurement distinguish it from traditional rovers.

## Body
### Development and Specifications
SORA-Q is a lunar rover model developed in Japan. It is distinguished by its small physical profile, measuring 8 centimeters in diameter and possessing a mass of 250 grams. The project was a joint venture between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Sony Group, Tomy, and Doshisha University. The rover is also identified by the alias Lunar Excursion Vehicle 2 (LEV-2 or LEV2).

### Mission History
The rover was launched on September 6, 2023, at 23:42:11 from the Yoshinobu Launch Complex Launch Pad 1. It was carried aboard an H-IIA-47 expendable medium-lift launch vehicle. Along with the SLIM lander and LEV-1, SORA-Q was deployed toward the Moon. The mission reached a significant milestone on January 19, 2024, when SORA-Q successfully landed on the lunar surface near the Shioli crater.

### Technical Profile
- **Aliases:** Lunar Excursion Vehicle 2, LEV-2, LEV2
- **Instance Of:** Japanese lunar rover
- **Launch Vehicle:** H-IIA
- **Start Point:** Yoshinobu Launch Complex Launch Pad 1
- **Destination Point:** Near Shioli

## References

1. [Source](https://www.planetary.org/space-missions/slim-japans-precision-lunar-lander)
2. [Source](https://global.jaxa.jp/activity/pr/jaxas/no088/03.html)
3. Jonathan's Space Report
4. [Source](https://www.space.com/japan-slim-moon-lander-photo-lunar-surface)
5. [Source](https://global.jaxa.jp/countdown/slim/SLIM-mediakit-EN_2308.pdf)
6. [Source](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/japan-reaches-the-moon-but-the-fate-of-its-precision-lander-is-uncertain/)
7. [Source](https://sg.news.yahoo.com/japans-little-moon-toy-camera-065747821.html)
8. [Source](https://www.jaxa.jp/projects/files/youtube/sas/20220315_slim_lev_document03.pdf)