Japan's World's First Private Moon Landing Fails... "Likely Crashed on Moon Surface"

Japanese Venture Company 'Hakuto-R' Loses Communication During Landing
Fierce Competition Among Private Space Companies "Relaunch Next Year"

The dream of a Japanese venture company, the first in the world to attempt a private moon landing, has been dashed. Communication was lost during the final stage of landing on the moon. The company announced that it appears the lander crashed due to running out of fuel after misjudging the altitude above the lunar surface. They also expressed their determination to continue pursuing moon landing projects as competition among private companies in space intensifies.

Takeshi Hakamada, CEO of ispace, is making a statement regarding the 'Hakuto-R' landing failure. (Photo by NHK)

According to NHK on the 26th, the private lunar lander developed by the Japanese venture company ispace attempted to land on the moon that day but lost communication. ispace announced the final mission failure, stating, "The lander was scheduled to land on the lunar surface around 1:40 a.m., but communication between the lander and the control center was lost."

Takashi Hakamada, CEO of ispace, explained, "The altitude above the lunar surface was misjudged, and because of this, the fuel ran out during the landing, causing the lander to collide with the lunar surface." They tracked the remaining propellant and noted that the descent speed sharply increased before communication was lost.

The Frustrated 'Hakuto-R' Mission

ispace's lunar landing project is called 'Hakuto-R.' The lander's name is derived from the Japanese word 'Hakuto,' meaning white rabbit. ispace was launched last December on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the launch site in Florida, USA.

Hakuto-R continued its flight by utilizing solar gravity to save fuel and entered a lunar elliptical orbit last month. ispace held a press conference on the 12th, announcing, "Once the lander reaches an altitude of about 100 km above the moon, it will attempt to land on the morning of the 26th." The lander carried seven payloads, including a small robot and batteries developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to obtain video data on the lunar surface.

Hakuto-R flying graphic. (Photo by NHK)

If this mission had succeeded, Japan would have become the fourth country to successfully land on the moon, following the Soviet Union in 1996, the United States in 1966, and China in 2013. It would also have claimed the world’s first title for a private company moon landing.

On the day of the mission, Hakuto-R attempted to land near the Atlas crater in the moon's northern hemisphere at an altitude of 100 km. However, communication was lost after the scheduled landing time, and the plan ultimately failed. ispace believes the lander properly executed the approach to the landing site by adjusting its attitude, firing thrusters, and decelerating. However, it is estimated that the lander misjudged its altitude above the lunar surface, exhausted the remaining fuel, and eventually fell onto the lunar surface.

"A New Market for Humanity"… Japan Cannot Give Up Lunar Exploration

NHK explained that Japan's reason for pursuing lunar exploration is because "the moon is increasingly regarded as a base where humanity can expand its activities in space in the future." This is due to academic claims that water exists on the moon, making it a planet with a high possibility of supporting human survival in the future. As a result, competition among private companies aiming to commercially utilize space is intensifying beyond national rivalry.

In fact, the United States is collaborating with Japan, Europe, and others on the international project called the 'Artemis Program.' On November 16 last year, an unmanned spacecraft was launched to carry out the first phase of the plan. NASA is planning to send humans back to the moon by 2025, and China, which was the third country to succeed in lunar exploration, succeeded in bringing lunar rocks back to Earth in 2020.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The data research firm PWC Consulting Joint Company predicted that from 2030, businesses related to infrastructure maintenance, agriculture, and energy on and around the moon will increase. Furthermore, the market size for economic activities related to lunar exploration is expected to reach $170 billion (227 trillion KRW) by 2040.

To expand the commercial use of space to the moon, various technical and economic barriers must be overcome. For this reason, ispace announced that it will use this failure as a stepping stone and prepare for the next lander launch immediately. In a press release, ispace stated, "We were able to acquire valuable data and know-how from the beginning to the end of the landing sequence, and through this, we will be able to carry out successful lunar landing missions in the future. We believe this is a significant milestone that will be a great leap toward future lunar exploration and will advance private space development in Japan and worldwide."

Mission calendar of Hakuto-R homepage. (Photo by Ispace)

Currently, the countdown calendar on the ispace Hakuto-R mission homepage has started moving again, indicating the next schedule. ispace plans to launch lunar landers again next year and in 2025.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno also held a press conference that day, saying, "It is regrettable that the entire original plan was not achieved, but we expect challenges to continue based on this experience. The challenge of space by startup companies is meaningful. We will support private companies that take on the challenge of space."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.