Japanese space exploration company ispace is set to launch its second moon landing mission as early as December, according to CEO Takeshi Hakamada. The 'Hakuto-R Mission 2' will involve ispace's spacecraft being delivered by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida, with a lunar touchdown attempt planned after four to five months of spaceflight, Hakamada revealed.
'I'm thrilled that our second attempt to the moon is nearing,' he stated during a press conference. This mission follows ispace's initial touchdown attempt in April 2023, which ended in failure due to an altitude miscalculation in the final moments.
The Tokyo-based startup aims to emulate the success of US-based Intuitive Machines, which achieved the world's first private moon landing in February. Founded by Hakamada in 2010, ispace now employs around 300 people across Japan, the United States, and Luxembourg.
The moon is increasingly becoming a focal point in the global race to discover water, fuel, and other resources essential for sustaining human life. Since last year, national missions from India, Japan, and China have successfully landed on the lunar surface. The US is also planning its first astronaut lunar landing in 2026, marking the first such mission in half a century as part of its Artemis program.
