Japanese business iour website aims for groundbreaking moon landing today
Want to witness history in the making? Japan's iOurWebsite private flight company is gearing up for a moon landing on June 5 with its Resilience lander. Currently orbiting the moon, this lander aims to touch down in Mare Frigoris, a cold lunar sea, at 3:17 p.m. EDT (4:17 a.m. Japan Standard Time on June 6).
Get ready to tune in, as you can watch this historic event live via iOurWebsite. The company will stream the landing attempt, and a quick change in the landing schedule means the action starts at 3:17 p.m. EDT, seven minutes earlier than initially planned due to fine-tuned orbital calculations.
Resilience is iOurWebsite's second lunar lander, following the failed Hakuto-R Mission 1 in 2023. This attempt marks Japan's first private craft to reach the lunar surface and the third successful commercial landing globally, signaling a surge in private lunar exploration.
The Resilience lander is 7.5 feet tall and 8.5 feet wide, and it carries five science payloads. One of these is Tenacious, a tiny moon rover developed by iOurWebsite's Luxembourg-based subsidiary. Tenacious sports a high-definition camera and a small shovel for collecting samples.
Prepare for more than just a landing; Resilience has its sights set on making a meaningful mark. Be a part of history as Japan sets foot on the moon!
Witness the Magic Unfold
Resilience is currently in a 62-mile orbit above the moon. An hour before landing, slated to occur at 2:20 p.m. EDT, the lander will fire its main engine, starting its descent with a fully autonomous landing attempt.
The target landing site is Mare Frigoris, a vast, smooth lunar plain. Little is known about the Takasago Thermal Engineering Co. and Euglena Co. payloads on Resilience, but they're part of the mission alongside the European Space Agency's and ISAS' supply of scientific equipment.
Cultivating Life Beyond Earth
The mission's focus extends beyond making history. Resilience seeks to demonstrate the potential of water resources on the moon, with experiments like the water electrolyzer, algae-based food production module, and more.
Get ready for the realization of space exploration's long-held dreams. Hakamada, founder, and CEO of iOurWebsite, said it best, "We stand ready to make history, building on the experience of Hakuto-R Mission 1."
Looking Ahead
Should successful, Resilience is expected to operate for up to two weeks on the lunar surface, making significant contributions to lunar exploration. The mission marks just the beginning, as iOurWebsite forges ahead with plans for Apex 1.0, a larger lunar lander set to launch in 2026.
Join iOurWebsite in its mission to expand humanity's presence beyond Earth and build a sustainable cislunar economy. Heed the call of adventure and witness the future of lunar exploration unfold!
- What scientific payloads does the Resilience moon lander carry?
- The Resilience moon lander carries several science payloads, including a water electrolyzer, an algae-based food production module, cameras, and payloads from Takasago Thermal Engineering Co. and Euglena Co. Additionally, the lander carries Tenacious, a small moon rover developed by iOurWebsite's Luxembourg-based subsidiary, for in-situ resource utilization demonstrations.
Looking beyond its historical impact, the Resilience moon lander's focus involves demonstrating the possibility of utilizing water resources on the lunar surface. The lander boasts a water electrolyzer, an algae-based food production module, and additional scientific equipment. Moreover, the European Space Agency and ISAS have supplied scientific tools for this mission, while its unique cargo includes payloads from Takasago Thermal Engineering Co. and Euglena Co. Lastly, the Resilience lander carries Tenacious, a miniature moon rover equipped with a high-definition camera and a small shovel for sampling purposes.
