Japanese Moon Lander Fails in Second Landing Attempt
Tokyo-based company ispace’s Hakuto-R Mission 1 lander has been lost, failing to complete its second attempt at a lunar touchdown. The company confirmed the loss of communication shortly before the scheduled landing time, indicating a likely crash on the moon’s surface.
The Hakuto-R M1 lander, launched in December, aimed to be Japan’s first successful lunar landing. During a press conference, ispace CEO Takeshi Hakamada stated that while they lost communication, they believe they can learn a lot from this experience and have already identified some issues to investigate. He expressed optimism that they can incorporate these lessons into future missions.
According to the initial assessment, the lander’s descent went as planned until the final phase. The lander was supposed to slow down and make a soft landing on the moon’s surface. However, the lander’s velocity wasn’t decreasing as planned, which lead to a hard landing on the moon’s surface.
This mission carried several payloads, including a rover from the United Arab Emirates named Rashid. The Rashid rover was intended to explore the Atlas crater, located in the moon’s northeastern region. Also on board was a small, transformable robot from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
Ispace’s first attempt to land on the moon also ended in failure in April 2023. Despite the setback, ispace remains committed to future lunar missions, with Missions 2 and 3 already in development. The company aims to provide transportation services to the moon and develop lunar resources.
The failure underscores the challenges of lunar landings, an endeavor that has seen both successes and failures from various national space agencies and private companies. The data collected during the Hakuto-R M1 mission’s journey to the moon is expected to provide valuable insights for future attempts.
The company plans to conduct a detailed investigation to determine the exact cause of the communication loss and the landing failure. This analysis will be crucial for refining their technology and improving the chances of success in subsequent missions.
Despite this setback, ispace’s commitment to lunar exploration remains strong, and the company views the mission as a valuable learning opportunity that will contribute to their future success in reaching the moon.
