The small robots, LEV-1 and LEV-2, were deployed from SLIM to take pictures and document its historic landing on the moon. These robots successfully transmitted images back to Earth, providing definitive proof of the mission's success. LEV-1 even demonstrated unique mobility by hopping across the lunar surface using a spring system, making it the first robot to traverse a celestial body with gravity in this manner.
Despite some data loss due to communication issues, the tiny robots' mission was a significant success. LEV-2, also known as "Sora-Q," became the smallest and lightest machine to operate on the moon. Moreover, both robots engaged in simultaneous exploration of the moon, marking the first time fully autonomous vehicles conducted missions with no Earth-based assistance.
The development behind LEV-2 was led by Kimitaka Watanabe, utilizing toy transformation technologies and other innovative skills. By streamlining LEV-2's design and shifting the wheels' center of gravity to allow stability on lunar slopes, Watanabe created a compact robot capable of autonomously recording and sending photos from the moon. This successful mission marked a significant advancement in miniaturized technology for space exploration.