Juichiro Ito 
An artist’s rendering of ispace’s lunar lander flying through outer space (courtesy of the company).
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A second lunar lander developed by Japanese space startup ispace Inc. (based in Minato, Tokyo) is set to attempt a moon landing in the early hours of June 6 (Japan time). If successful, it would be the first lunar landing ever achieved by a private company in Asia.
The mission also aims to collect samples of lunar soil (regolith) using a small rover and carry out the world's first commercial transaction on the Moon by transferring ownership of the collected material to NASA.
Launched in January 2025 from Florida aboard a SpaceX rocket, the lander is currently orbiting the Moon at an altitude of approximately 100 kilometers, traveling at around 5,800 kilometers per hour in a circular path. At about 3:15 AM on June 6, the craft's main engine will fire forward to alter its trajectory and initiate descent.
Eyeing a Clean Landing
According to the mission plan, the lander will initially descend to an altitude of around 20 kilometers using inertia alone. It will then fire its main engine once more to decelerate to approximately 380 kilometers per hour. Upon reaching about three kilometers in altitude, the craft will enter its final landing phase, gradually reducing speed to around two kilometers per hour while adjusting its posture with both the main and auxiliary engines. Touchdown is scheduled for 4:17 AM in the Moon's northern region, near the so-called "Sea of Ice." The original landing time of 4:24 AM was revised on June 4.
ispace previously attempted a lunar landing in 2023, but the mission ended in failure after the spacecraft lost altitude data and crashed from roughly five kilometers above the surface. For this second attempt, the company has significantly enhanced its altitude sensors and control systems to enable a more precise descent.
Surface Exploration
If successful, this will mark the first moon landing by a private company in Asia. Moreover, if ispace's in-house rover manages to traverse the lunar surface and collect regolith, it would become the first private firm in the world to achieve such a feat.
Yoshitsugu Hitachi, lead developer for the second mission, voiced his determination at a May 30 press conference, stating:
“We've prepared thoroughly, drawing on the lessons from our first attempt. Our goal is complete success, from the landing itself to the surface exploration.”
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Author: Juichiro Ito, The Sankei Shimbun
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