Japan's Resilience module crashes on the Moon

Photo:Depositphotos

Tokyo-based iSpace had hoped to join US firms Intuitive Machines and Firefly Aerospace in successfully landing commercially on the moon amid a global race that also includes lunar missions from China and India.

Although the failure means a pause of several years for Japan in commercial access to the Moon, it does not mean that it will not remain committed to the Artemis program. The Resilience module had problems measuring the distance to the surface and was unable to slow down its descent quickly enough. Then, after a probable hard landing, it was unable to communicate with the module.

According to the CEO of iSpace, various scenarios were possible, including problems with the propulsion system, software or hardware, as well as sensors. The company's CFO assured employees that despite the failure and temporary drop in share value, the company does not face any immediate deterioration in financial results or difficulties.

In 2023, the company's first module crashed on the lunar surface due to inaccurate altitude recognition. While software modifications were implemented in the new module, the hardware design remained largely unchanged.

The Resilience module carried a four-wheeled rover manufactured by Luxembourg-based subsidiary iSpace and five external payloads worth sixteen million dollars.

The module was to land on the Mare Frigoris basalt plain, located 900 kilometers from the Moon's north pole. If successful, the module would begin a fortnight of planned exploration activities there.

Japan last year became the fifth country in the world to achieve a soft landing on the moon. The government signed an agreement with NASA to involve Japanese astronauts in the Artemis lunar missions and supported research projects by private companies for future development on the moon.

For the third mission in 2027, the US subsidiary iSpace is building a larger lander as part of NASA's commercial services for the Artemis program. The company already plans to undertake a total of six missions by 2029.

Source:Reuters