Japanese aerospace firm Ispace has acknowledged that its Resilience lander likely crashed during its second attempt to land on the moon, due to a sensor malfunction that impeded deceleration. The company is pushing forward with its lunar program, having obtained funding for a third mission using a new lander, Apex 1.0, scheduled for 2027.

According to CNN, Ispace faces notable challenges ahead. “[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.”

Lunar City Vision

Ispace has outlined aspiring plans for lunar growth, including “plans to eventually build a city on the lunar surface that would house a thousand people and welcome thousands more for tourist visits,” ABC News reports.

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 company aims to create a lunar fueling station by extracting water ice, which can be converted into rocket fuel. “The ability to produce fuel on the moon will enable the company to transport people back and forth between the Earth and the moon.”

The Future of Lunar Missions

Ispace’s commitment to future missions underscores the growing interest in lunar exploration and development, with various companies and space agencies vying to establish a presence on the moon.