Japan’s ispace Moon Lander ‘Resilience’ Crashes Again 

SCIENCE

By Aniket Chakraborty June 10, 2025 Arrow Image Credit | @ispace_in | X

The lander, named “Resilience,” lost communication just before touchdown on Friday.

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A malfunction in the laser altimeter likely caused a dangerously fast descent.

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The lander was carrying a small rover and an art installation in the form of a Swedish-style red house.

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Resilience was aiming to land on Mare Frigoris, a flat plain near the Moon’s north.

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CEO Takeshi Hakamada apologized and pledged to continue the mission series despite setbacks.

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ispace's first lander crashed in 2022; this second loss raises investor concerns.

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The company plans a third and larger mission by 2027 in partnership with NASA.

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Other firms like Blue Origin and Astrobotic are also racing to land on the Moon.

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The private space race continues — but the Moon remains an unforgiving frontier.

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