WafricNews – june 7, 2025

Hopes were high, eyes were watching, and once again, silence told the story. Tokyo-based private space firm ispace has confirmed the failure of its second attempt to land a spacecraft on the moon, after losing contact with its lunar lander Resilience just moments before it was expected to touch down.

The mission, which was supposed to mark a historic step forward for Japan’s private space industry, ended in disappointment on Friday. Flight controllers at ispace had watched the descent closely and initially believed things were going as planned. But the communication blackout near the final moments told a familiar tale.

For several tense hours, ground support tried to re-establish contact. But nothing came back. With no signal and no images received, ispace had no choice but to declare the mission a failure.

It’s the second crash landing in two years for the ambitious start-up. Back in 2023, its first lunar lander, Hakuto-R, also met a tragic end after misjudging its altitude.

Speaking after the latest disappointment, ispace founder and CEO Takeshi Hakamada offered a heartfelt apology to all involved: “We have to take seriously what happened.” The company’s live broadcast of the event was cut abruptly, reflecting the mood on the ground.

The Resilience lander, launched in January aboard a SpaceX rocket from Florida, had journeyed across space carrying high-tech cargo – including a carbon-fibre European-built mini rover named Tenacious and a tiny red “Moonhouse” created by Swedish artist Mikael Genberg. The house, a toy-sized model of a Swedish cottage, was intended to symbolize a future where humans live and work on the moon – possibly as early as the 2040s.

The intended landing site? A relatively flat zone in the Sea of Cold (Mare Frigoris), chosen for its smooth terrain.

If successful, Resilience would’ve sent back images and lowered the rover for exploration. Instead, all of that remains a dream—at least for now.

Still, ispace isn’t giving up. A much larger lander is already in the works for a 2027 launch, this time with involvement from NASA. But the reality is sobering. The company’s U.S. chief engineer, Jeremy Fix, warned just weeks ago that they do not have “infinite funds.” Repeated failures, he said, are not sustainable.

While this latest attempt reportedly cost less than the first mission’s $100 million price tag, company officials declined to reveal the exact figure.

For now, Japan’s dream of planting a private flag on the moon is once again postponed — but not buried.

By Wafricnews Desk.