October 4, 2007 12:01 PM PDT
Kaguya, aka the Selenological and Engineering Explorer (Selene), is said to be the largest lunar exploration program since Apollo. Japan's unmanned moon orbiter is scheduled to begin mapping the moon with its HD camera equipment in December. It will also study lunar origins and evolution.
The official name of the mission is Selene, but JAXA held a public contest to give it a nickname. The winner was "Kaguya," after a beautiful princess whose home is the moon, according to a Japanese folk tale.
Photo by JAXA
