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Japan, U.S. lunar landers go separate ways after being launched together from SpaceX rocket

SpaceX successfully launched two lunar landers on Wednesday for U.S. and Japanese companies, marking a significant step towards commercial exploration of the moon. The launch took place in the middle of the night from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, with the two landers sharing the ride to save costs before parting ways as planned.

One of the companies involved in this mission is ispace, a Tokyo-based company that is making its second attempt at landing on the moon. Their lander, named Resilience, is carrying a rover equipped with a scoop to collect lunar soil for analysis. The rover will also test potential resources like food and water that could support future lunar missions. On the other hand, Texas-based Firefly Aerospace is flying 10 experiments for NASA, including tools to gather soil samples, measure subsurface temperature, and protect astronauts from abrasive lunar particles.

Firefly’s lander, named Blue Ghost, is set to reach the moon first and land at Mare Crisium in early March. Meanwhile, ispace’s Resilience will target a touchdown at Mare Frigoris in late May or early June. Both companies are focused on conducting valuable scientific experiments and paving the way for future manned missions to the moon.

Despite the challenges posed by previous lunar missions, both companies are optimistic about the success of their endeavors. Firefly CEO Jason Kim and ispace’s founder Takeshi Hakamada emphasize the importance of thorough planning and engineering to overcome obstacles on the moon’s surface. NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the moon by the end of the decade, will benefit from the data and technology gathered by these private missions.

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The lunar landers will spend two weeks operating in constant daylight once they reach the moon, conducting experiments and collecting data. ispace’s rover will explore the lunar surface near the lander, carrying a special payload—a miniature red house created by a Swedish artist. NASA has invested $101 million in Firefly’s mission and an additional $44 million for the experiments, highlighting the agency’s commitment to advancing lunar exploration.

As the private space industry continues to expand, companies like ispace and Firefly are playing a crucial role in advancing lunar exploration and preparing for future manned missions. With more missions planned in the coming months, the race to the moon is heating up, fueling excitement and innovation in the space industry.

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