Resilience Spacecraft Likely Crashed Into the Moon, Ispace Confirms

Japan-based Ispace confirmed its Resilience lander likely crashed during its second failed attempt at a lunar landing, after a sensor malfunction prevented proper deceleration. Despite the setback, the company remains committed to future missions, with funding secured for a third attempt using a new lander, Apex 1.0, scheduled for 2027. 'Until then, Ispace has its work cut out for it,' reports CNN. '[Ispace CEO and founder Takeshi Hakamada] said during the news briefing he will need to work to regain the trust of investors, and the company will need to deeply investigate what went wrong on the Resilience mission to ensure similar issues don't plague Apex 1.0.'

The company has ambitious 'plans to eventually build a city on the lunar surface that would house a thousand people and welcome thousands more for tourist visits,' notes ABC News. 'If ispace is going to establish a colony on the moon, it will need to identify an ample supply of ice or water, which it will convert into fuel for a future lunar fueling station. The ability to produce fuel on the moon will enable the company to transport people back and forth between the Earth and the moon.'

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