Japan's eagerly awaited lunar mission has encountered a significant hurdle. The privately built mooncraft 'Resilience' by iSpace has potentially crashed while attempting to land in the Moon's Mare Frigoris region. Although there's no official confirmation of the mission's status yet, sudden loss of communication during the final landing phase heightens the possibility of a crash.
What transpired during the mission?
The Resilience spacecraft began its descent from a 100-kilometer lunar orbit. This was Japan's first private lunar craft gearing up for a soft landing on the Moon. Everything was normal until a few minutes before landing—Resilience reduced speed and successfully executed a pitch-up maneuver 5 kilometers above the surface. However, as the spacecraft neared the Moon's surface, all telemetry data suddenly ceased, and iSpace's livestream went dark.
Even ham radio operators confirmed the disruption
Enthusiasts worldwide recorded signal loss coinciding with the anticipated landing time.
Source: aajtak
iSpace's first attempt also encountered failure
This was iSpace's second lunar mission. The first attempt in 2023 ended in a crash following loss of communication.
What has been said so far?
iSpace has yet to release a definitive statement. The company only mentioned that they are in the process of confirming whether the craft landed or crashed. CEO Takeshi Hakamada remarked before the mission that it represented a historic step towards a cislunar economy.
Source: aajtak
Why was this mission crucial?
The Resilience craft was ferrying scientific materials, a small rover, and equipment from international partners. A successful landing would mark it as the first private Japanese spacecraft to touch down on the Moon.
What lies ahead?
iSpace has commenced a technical investigation. Experts believe this incident highlights the technical complexities of lunar landings and serves as a substantial lesson for the private space sector.
