Ispace’s Hakuto-R Mission 2 Fails Lunar Landing attempt
CITY – October 27, 2024 – In a meaningful blow to lunar ambitions, the Japanese company Ispace experienced a failure as its Hakuto-R Mission 2 lander crashed during its landing attempt.The mission, which followed the launch in January 2025, was designed to touch down in the Mare Frigoris region.Reports indicate a hard landing, suggesting a non-recoverable outcome for the attempted mission, but the company promises further lunar endeavors.
Ispace’s Hakuto-R Mission 2 fails Lunar Landing Attempt
Ispace, a Japanese company, experienced another setback in its lunar ambitions as its Hakuto-R Mission 2 Resilience lander encountered an anomaly during its descent to the moon’s surface. The mission, launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Jan. 15, 2025, reached lunar orbit on May 7, 2025. The landing attempt was scheduled for June 5, 2025, at 21:17 in the Mare Frigoris region, also known as the Cold Sea.
The Resilience Lander Crashed on the Moon
During its final descent, the lander faced unexpected challenges. Data indicates that the spacecraft, was at a height of 50 meters above the surface
and traveling at a speed of 180 km/h.
This suggests a hard landing, effectively ending the mission’s primary objective.
Did You Know?
Mare Frigoris, the “Cold Sea,” is a lunar mare located in the far northern latitudes of the Moon. It’s known for its dark basaltic plains and is a popular target for lunar missions due to its relatively flat surface.
This marks the second unsuccessful lunar landing attempt for Ispace. The company’s earlier mission, Hakuto-R Mission 1, launched on Dec. 11, 2022, also failed to achieve a soft landing on april 25, 2023. The failure of the first mission was attributed to an incorrect estimation of height by the on-board computer.
Despite these setbacks, Ispace remains committed to lunar exploration.The company is planning further missions,including Mission 3 in 2026
using the Apex 1.0 lander,developed by its U.S. branch. Other private companies have achieved successful lunar landings, including Intuitive Machines with the Athena lander on Feb. 22, 2024, and Firefly Aerospace with its Blue Ghost lander on March 2, 2025.
Tenacious Rover Carried Valuable Data
For Hakuto-R Mission 2, Ispace opted for a fuel-saving trajectory to the moon, which extended the mission’s duration. The mission also included a small rover named Tenacious,equipped with scientific instruments to analyze regolith samples and capture high-resolution images of the lunar surface.
Pro Tip: Lunar Regolith Analysis
Analyzing lunar regolith can provide valuable insights into the Moon’s history, composition, and potential resources. Scientists study regolith to understand the effects of solar wind, micrometeorite impacts, and other space weathering processes.
the Tenacious rover was designed to be compact and lightweight, measuring 54 x 31.5 x 26 cm and weighing only 5 kg. Its construction featured a durable, lightweight skeleton made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, making it one of the smallest lunar rovers ever built.
beyond its scientific objectives, Tenacious also carried a UNESCO memory disk with records in manny languages and details about the heritage of humanity.
This symbolized the international community’s contribution to space exploration.
