iSpace Moon Landing Fails as Resilience Lander Crashes
▼ Summary
– Ispace remains committed to its lunar missions despite setbacks, with a motto of “never quit the lunar quest.”
– CEO Takeshi Hakamada compared Ispace’s perseverance to SpaceX’s early failures and eventual success in the launch market.
– Ispace has secured funding for a third lunar landing attempt, regardless of the outcome of the recent Resilience mission.
– The company is collaborating with US-based Draper on a new lunar lander, Apex 1.0, targeting a 2027 mission to the moon’s far side.
– Hakamada emphasized the need to regain investor trust and thoroughly analyze the Resilience mission’s failure to prevent future issues.
The recent lunar landing attempt by iSpace ended in disappointment when the Resilience lander crashed, but the company remains steadfast in its commitment to future moon missions. Drawing parallels to SpaceX’s early struggles, CEO Takeshi Hakamada emphasized that setbacks are part of the journey toward success in the space industry.
Hakamada pointed out that SpaceX faced multiple failures with its Falcon 1 rocket before achieving orbit in 2008, a breakthrough that came when the company was nearly bankrupt. Similarly, iSpace views its current challenges as temporary hurdles rather than insurmountable obstacles. The company has already secured funding for a third lunar landing attempt, demonstrating its long-term vision despite the Resilience mission’s outcome.
Collaborating with Draper, a US firm with ties to NASA’s Apollo program, iSpace is developing the Apex 1.0 lander, scheduled for a mission to the moon’s far side by 2027. Before then, the team must thoroughly analyze what went wrong with Resilience to prevent repeating mistakes. Hakamada acknowledged the need to rebuild investor confidence while ensuring technical improvements for future missions.
“This marks our second failure, and we must treat these results with the utmost seriousness,” Hakamada stated during a press briefing. The company’s determination to refine its approach highlights the resilience required in the competitive and high-stakes field of private space exploration. With lessons learned and new partnerships in place, iSpace remains focused on turning setbacks into stepping stones for eventual success.
(Source: CNN)
