In a setback that sounds like a plot twist straight out of a sci-fi movie, a technical glitch forced ispace’s lunar lander, Resilience, to crash on the moon’s surface. The incident, reported from Tokyo on Tuesday, marks the company’s second mishap in two years.
Officials explained that a delayed response from the lander’s laser range finder during its descent — at a rapid 42 meters per second — led to a miscalculation of its distance from the lunar surface. Just five seconds before a scheduled touchdown in Mare Frigoris (Sea of Cold), contact was lost, and the mission took a sudden nosedive. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter even captured images of the wreckage, offering a glimpse at the debris scattered across the moon.
This isn’t ispace’s first stumble. A software error in 2023 resulted in a previous crash, highlighting the difficulties faced by private space ventures. Out of seven recent moon landing attempts by private outfits, only Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander has managed a successful touchdown.
Despite these setbacks, ispace is not backing down. CEO Takeshi Hakamada emphasized that the company is "firmly taking the next step toward our future missions" and is determined to regain the trust of its customers. With plans for a third moon landing attempt in 2027 and a fourth mission already in the pipeline, additional tests and improvements — adding over 1.5 billion yen (more than $10 million) in costs — are set to enhance future endeavors. Closer collaboration with the Japanese Space Agency and NASA underscores their commitment to overcoming technical hurdles.
For tech enthusiasts and aspiring innovators across South Asia and Southeast Asia, this saga is a reminder that even high-tech dreams come with challenges. Every misstep on the moon pushes us closer to breakthrough achievements on Earth. 🚀💫
Reference(s):
Japanese company blames laser tool for 2nd crash landing on the moon
cgtn.com
