A Japanese private space company apparently did not succeed in its moon landing attempt on Thursday, representing the second failed effort in the past two years. The mission, referred to as Hakuto-R by ispace, was set to land at 3:15 p.m. ET on June 5 following a 4.5-month journey intended to save fuel. However, contact with the lander was lost, suggesting possible complications. Ispace encouraged the public to view the landing attempt from its Tokyo mission control, where the event lasted approximately an hour as the Resilience lander carried out a braking engine burn and adhered to automated instructions. Engineers in the control center awaited news, but telemetry data was not obtained. The transmission ended with ispace officials assuring that more information would be available at a future press conference.

The Resilience lander was meant to transport a small European rover, Tenacious, along with a tiny Swedish house, Moonhouse, to the lunar surface. The intended landing zone was Mare Frigoris, which is a relatively simpler site compared to the more demanding south pole. Despite the challenges of lunar landings, as evidenced by previous failures, Firefly Aerospace achieved success in March, while Intuitive Machines did not. The difficulties arise from the moon’s exosphere and lack of GPS systems.

Ispace’s initial Hakuto-R lander crashed in April 2023 due to running out of fuel. It remains uncertain if the second attempt encountered the same problem. This mission is part of larger commercial efforts associated with NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services Program, which seeks to involve private enterprises in lunar cargo transportation. Although ispace is unable to engage directly due to its non-American status, it works in partnership on a contract led by Draper Technologies, anticipated to land in 2025. These missions will aid NASA’s lunar initiatives, preparing for the arrival of astronauts and promoting a future cislunar economy. “We must never abandon the lunar pursuit,” an interpreter for a commentator remarked.