The Japanese lunar exploration corporation ispace has announced plans to undertake a second moon landing on June 6. During a press conference on Monday, Takeshi Hakamada, the CEO and founder of the company, provided a comprehensive overview of the mission’s progress, citing that all conditions are stable.
The mission, which began on January 15 with the launch of the SMBC x HAKUTO-R Venture Moon Mission 2 RESILIENCE lander, has encountered no technical issues so far. According to a news statement from ispace, the lander has maintained a consistent connection and is operating within predicted parameters. If everything goes as planned, RESILIENCE will land at 4:24 a.m. local time on June 6.
Ispace is working on lunar rovers and landers to establish low-cost, regular transportation to the moon. Hakamada voiced confidence in the mission’s development, claiming that it has gone easier than their previous attempt, which failed on April 26, 2023.
RESILIENCE is slated to reach lunar orbit on May 6, following a successful flyby on February 15. If the landing is successful, the TENACIOUS rover will be launched to investigate the surrounding area. Looking ahead, ispace has already planned a third mission in 2026 and a fourth in 2027, both with freshly constructed landers. Hakamada attributed the mission’s success to thorough preparation and voiced confidence in its conclusion.
