CAPE CANAVERAL, Jan 15: In a dual lunar mission, SpaceX successfully launched two lunar landers for U.S. and Japanese companies from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The mission marks a collaboration aimed at expanding business opportunities on the moon.
The rocket carried landers from Tokyo-based ispace and Texas-based Firefly Aerospace, both taking separate routes in a cost-saving shared journey expected to last several months. This marks ispace’s second attempt after a previous crash; their lander, Resilience, accompanied by a rover, plans to test lunar soil and assess potential resources for future explorers. Targeting a landing at Mare Frigoris, Resilience is expected to reach the moon by late May or early June.
Firefly’s lander, Blue Ghost, will be the first to attempt a touchdown at Mare Crisium in early March. It carries 10 NASA experiments, including a dirt-gathering vacuum, a temperature-measuring drill, and a system designed to protect astronauts’ suits and gear from lunar particles.
Although not a race, as emphasized by ispace CEO Takeshi Hakamada, both missions face significant challenges due to the unpredictability of lunar landings. Only five countries have succeeded in moon landings since the 1960s: the U.S., the former Soviet Union, China, India, and Japan.
As NASA aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface with the Artemis program, these missions are crucial in advancing science and technology. Both spacecraft aim to operate during the moon’s two-week daylight period before shutting down when darkness falls. Ispace’s rover, carrying a unique toy-size red house designed by a Swedish artist, will navigate the surface at a leisurely pace.
Firefly received $101 million from NASA for this mission and an additional $44 million for the experiments onboard. In contrast, ispace has kept the cost of their mission private but confirmed it’s under $100 million. Another mission by Intuitive Machines is scheduled for February, following their successful lunar landing last year.
Original Source: https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/two-private-lunar-landers-head-toward-the-moon-in-roundabout-journey/
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Publish Date: 2025-01-16 05:52:00
