Historic Journey to the Moon Begins!

Get ready for liftoff! Japan's ambitious iSpace has successfully entered the orbit of the Moon with its Hakuto-R lander, dubbed "Resilience." This monumental milestone was achieved after a lengthy journey that tested the limits—taking the longest, albeit fuel-efficient route to the lunar surface.

The Long and Winding Path

Launched in tandem with Firefly's inaugural lunar lander, Resilience didn’t take the direct route. Instead, it curled around Earth multiple times, making gradual course corrections to conserve fuel—a strategy that adds a touch of ingenuity to its mission.

Preparations for a Soft Landing Begin

On Tuesday afternoon, Resilience executed its most significant maneuver yet—a nine-minute burn that locked it into an undisclosed lunar orbit. The excitement peaks as the lander gears up for a soft landing on the Moon’s surface, targeted for early June!

Learning from the Past

iSpace's first attempt back in 2023 didn’t go as planned, falling victim to a software glitch that ended in a hard landing. This time, however, the company is optimistic that recent updates will pave the way for success.

A Chance for a $5,000 Prize!

If Resilience successfully collects lunar regolith samples, it could snag a $5,000 prize from NASA. Though the space agency won’t physically receive the sample, this initiative aims to assess the capabilities of commercial operators in sample collection.

Rover Ready and Artistic Flair!

The mission is further enhanced by Tenacious, a micro rover developed by iSpace’s European subsidiary, which will assist in gathering samples. The lander also showcases a whimsical touch—a model house by Swedish artist Mikael Genberg called "Moonhouse," giving a nod to the human presence in outer space.

A New Era in Lunar Exploration

While iSpace was outpaced by Japan's JAXA in the race for the nation's first lunar landing, it stands to be the pioneer of commercial lunar landings in Japan. With no real competition on the domestic front, eyes are now on a slew of U.S. companies like Firefly and Astrobotics, pushing the boundaries of lunar exploration.

Eyes on 2026!

As strategies and technologies evolve, iSpace is also gearing up for future missions under NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services contract, with exciting prospects for a 2026 launch.