thumb|Scale model of the Hiten at [[Noshiro, Akita|Noshiro City Children's Center]]
The Hiten spacecraft (, ), given the English name Celestial Maiden This was the first aerobraking maneuver by a deep space probe. This course would result in the probe being captured into temporary lunar orbit using zero (called a ballistic transfer), but required five months instead of the usual three days for a Hohmann transfer orbit. This was the first time a satellite had used low-energy transfer to transfer to a Moon orbit. Because the orbit was unstable and would have resulted in the spacecraft crashing into the far side of the Moon, it was decided to use the last fuel to move the impact location to the front side of the Moon so that it could be observed.
See also
- List of artificial objects on the Moon
- List of missions to the Moon