Introduction to the Resilience Lander Mission

The Resilience lander, operated by the Japanese company ispace, has been en route to the Moon for the past six months, with the objective of touching down in the far northern region of the lunar surface. This mission marks ispace’s second attempt to reach the Moon, following a previous unsuccessful landing attempt.

Scheduled Landing and Live Streaming

The Resilience lander is scheduled to land on the Moon on June 5 at 3:24 p.m. ET, aiming for a precise touchdown near the center of the Mare Frigoris region, which translates to the "sea of cold." The landing attempt will be broadcast live on ispace’s YouTube channel, commencing approximately one hour before the anticipated touchdown. Viewers can also watch the event through the provided live feed.

Live Feed

Mission Background and Objectives

ispace launched its second mission to the Moon on January 15, with the Resilience lander accompanying another lander headed to the lunar surface. After taking a longer route, Resilience successfully performed its orbital maneuvers and is currently in a low lunar orbit, awaiting the landing attempt. The lander is equipped with a small rover named Tenacious and various science instruments from Japanese commercial space ventures, designed to explore the lunar surface.

Previous Attempt and Lessons Learned

This mission is ispace’s second attempt at a Moon landing, following the unsuccessful Hakuto-R Mission 1 (M1) Lunar Lander in April 2023, which crashed on the Moon’s surface due to a miscalculation of its altitude. The company has since leveraged the operational experience gained from the first mission and the current voyage to prepare for a successful landing.

Confidence in Success

Takeshi Hakamada, founder and CEO of ispace, expressed optimism about the second attempt, stating, "We have leveraged the operational experience gained in Mission 1 and during this current voyage to the Moon, and we are confident in our preparations for the success of the lunar landing."

Challenges in Moon Landings

The Moon has proven to be a challenging destination for landers, with several commercial companies experiencing crashes in recent years. Despite these obstacles, ispace and other companies continue to pursue Moon landing missions, driven by the potential for scientific discovery and exploration.