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WG3K > ANS 01.06.25 02:24l 19 Lines 2711 Bytes #169 (0) @ AMSAT
BID : ANS152.5
Read: GUEST
Subj: Japanese Private Lander Resilience Nears Lunar Touchdown
Path: IZ3LSV<I3XTY<I0OJJ<N6RME<CX2SA<N3HYM<WG3K
Sent: 250601/0018Z 18165@WG3K.#SMD.MD.USA.NOAM LinBPQ6.0.24
Japanâ€Ös ispace is aiming for a June 5 landing attempt with its Resilience lunar lander, now orbiting the moon. The spacecraft is targeting Mare Frigoris, a volcanic plain in the moonâ€Ös northern hemisphere. If the landing succeeds, it would mark the first moon touchdown by a private Japanese company and only the second lunar landing for Japan overall.
Resilience launched on January 15 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, sharing the ride with Firefly Aerospaceâ€Ös Blue Ghost lander. Blue Ghost landed successfully on March 2, while Resilience took a longer, energy-efficient route to the moon, entering orbit on May 6. The mission follows ispaceâ€Ös earlier attempt in 2023, which failed during descent after the lander misjudged the rim of a crater.
On May 22, ispace released a photo taken by Resilience showing the moonâ€Ös south polar region. The image, posted on social media, reveals a rugged cratered surface and drew attention for an optical illusion in which the craters can appear as raised bumps. While Resilience will land far from the south pole, the photo demonstrated the spacecraftâ€Ös ability to capture detailed lunar imagery.
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Ispace-Resilience...]https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Ispace-Resilience-Moon-Photo-scaled.jpg
Resilience captured a photo of the lunar south pole from orbit ahead of its scheduled June 5 landing. [Credit: ispacehttps://x.com/ispace_inc]
The mission carries five payloads, including a small rover named Tenacious developed by ispaceâ€Ös European division. The rover is tasked with collecting lunar soil under a NASA contract awarded in 2020. It also carries a small artwork titled Moonhouse, created by Swedish artist Mikael Genberg and mounted to the roverâ€Ös front bumper.
Resilience joins a growing list of privately developed missions targeting the lunar surface. It follows earlier commercial efforts like Fireflyâ€Ös Blue Ghost and Intuitive Machinesâ€Ö Odysseus, which landed in early 2024. These missions contribute to broader scientific and technical goals for lunar exploration.
In addition to demonstrating landing capabilities, Resilience will test technologies designed for future ispace missions, including navigation, communications, and thermal control systems. Data from the lander and its payloads will inform development of ispaceâ€Ös next-generation landers, which are intended for satellite servicing and lunar cargo delivery.
Read the full article at: https://www.space.com/astronomy/moon/private-japanese-moon-probe-snaps-photo...
[ANS thanks the Mike Wallhttps://x.com/MichaelDWall, Space.comhttps://www.space.com/, for the above information]
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