Tokyo-based space company ispace faced its second lunar landing failure Friday as its 'Resilience' lander lost communication moments before touchdown. The mission, carrying a mini rover and artistic payload, highlights the challenges of private moon exploration amid growing global interest.
Flight controllers declared the mission unsuccessful after losing contact with the spacecraft less than two minutes before scheduled landing. Preliminary analysis suggests a malfunction in the altitude-measuring laser system caused excessive descent speed. "We must take this very seriously," said CEO Takeshi Hakamada, while reaffirming plans for future missions supported by NASA.
The failed attempt follows ispace's 2021 crash and comes amid a surge in commercial lunar activity. While U.S. companies Firefly Aerospace and Intuitive Machines achieved partial success this year, only five governments – Russia, the U.S., China, India, and Japan – have completed successful robotic moon landings.
The mission carried significant technological ambitions, including a 5kg European-built rover designed to collect lunar soil samples for NASA. A unique cultural element – a Swedish artist's miniature red house – was also aboard, intended as a symbolic human presence on the moon's surface.
As private companies like Blue Origin and Astrobotic Technology prepare new lunar attempts, government programs continue advancing. NASA plans crewed lunar orbits in 2025, while China aims to land astronauts on the moon by 2030. China's lunar missions remain a focal point in Asia's growing space capabilities.
