Japanese start-up ispace’s Hakuto-R lunar lander began descending Tuesday toward the surface of the Moon, company officials said.
“Our lander is now on the Moon’s far side and heading for its designated landing area. We expect to reestablish communication in approximately 30 minutes,” an official said.
If successful, ispace will become the first private firm to place a working spacecraft on the Moon.
The lander, standing just over two metres tall and weighing 340 kilogrammes, has been in lunar orbit since last month.
It was launched from Earth on December 11 on one of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets.
So far only the United States, Russia and China have managed to put a robot on the lunar surface, all through government-sponsored programmes.
In April 2019, Israeli organisation SpaceIL watched their lander crash into the Moon’s surface.
India also attempted to land a spacecraft on the Moon in 2019, but it crashed.
AFP
