Hakuto-R Mission 2#Rover

{{Infobox spaceflight

| name = Hakuto-R Mission 2
Resilience

| image = Maquette de Hakuto-R IAC 2022.jpg

| image_caption = Full-size model of Hakuto-R

| insignia =

| insignia_caption =

| mission_type = Lunar landing, technology demonstration

| mission_duration = {{time interval|January 15, 2025, 06:11|June 5, 2025|show=ymd}}

| operator = ispace

| COSPAR_ID =

| SATCAT =

| website = {{URL|https://ispace-inc.com/m2}}

| spacecraft = Hakuto-R Resilience

| spacecraft_type = Lunar lander

| spacecraft_bus = Hakuto-R

| manufacturer = ispace

| launch_mass = ~{{cvt|1000|kg}}{{Cite web |title=Hakuto-R M1, M2 |url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/hakuto-r-m1.htm |access-date=2025-06-05 |website=Gunter's Space Page |language=en}}

| landing_mass =

| dry_mass = {{cvt|340|kg}}

| dimensions = Width: {{cvt|2.5|m}}
Height: {{cvt|2.3|m}}

| power =

| launch_date = {{Start date|2025|1|15|df=y}}, 06:11:39 UTC (1:11:39 am EST)

| launch_rocket = Falcon 9 Block 5 (B1085{{nbhyph}}5), Flight 425

| launch_site = Kennedy, LC-39A

| launch_contractor = SpaceX

| last_contact =

| interplanetary = {{Infobox spaceflight/IP

| object = Resilience Lunar

| type = lander_impact

| arrival_date = {{Start date|2025|6|5|df=y}}{{cite news |title=ispace Announces Mission 2 Landing Date Set for June 6, 2025 (JST) |url=https://ispace-inc.com/news-en/?p=7097 |access-date=4 March 2025 |publisher=ispace, Inc |date=4 March 2025}}

| location = Mare Frigoris ({{Lunar coords and quad cat|60.5|N|4.6|W}})

}}

| programme = Hakuto-R

| previous_mission = Mission 1

}}

Hakuto-R Mission 2, also called Resilience, was a robotic lunar landing mission launched on 15 January 2025. Developed by the Japanese company ispace, the lander was intended to deliver a small rover manufactured by the company's European subsidiary, as well as other payloads. Like Hakuto-R Mission 1, this mission served as a technology demonstration, with the final goal of providing reliable transportation and data services on the Moon. The lander was named RESILIENCE.{{Cite web |title=ispace Announces Mission 2 with Unveiling of Micro Rover Design |url=https://ispace-inc.com/news-en/?p=4954 |access-date=22 June 2024 |website=ispace |language=en}} Communications were lost approximately 90 seconds before the projected landing{{Cite web |last=Dickinson |first=David |date=2025-06-06 |title=Japanese Resilience Lander Crashes on the Moon |url=https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/japaneses-resilience-lander-crashes-on-the-moon/ |access-date=2025-06-09 |website=Sky & Telescope |language=en-US}} and the lander likely crashed on the Moon.{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Stephen |date=2025-06-06 |title=A Japanese lander crashed on the Moon after losing track of its location |url=https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/06/a-japanese-lander-crashed-on-the-moon-after-losing-track-of-its-location/ |access-date=2025-06-09 |website=Ars Technica |language=en}}

Background

The project began development after Hakuto-R Mission 1 in 2023. The mission used the same overall design with upgrades from flight data collected in mission 1.{{Cite web |last=Dixit |first=Mrigakshi |title=Japan's ispace aims for moon landing in 2024 with upgraded lander |url=https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/japans-ispace-moon-landing-2024-upgraded-lander |access-date=22 June 2024 |website=Interesting Engineering |language=en}}

Lander specifications

The RESILIENCE lander stood {{Convert|2.3|m}} high, {{Convert|2.3|m}} wide and had a weight of {{Convert|340|kg}}. The lander included a micro rover planned to perform an in situ resource utilization demonstration.{{Cite web |last=Alamalhodaei |first=Aria |date=16 November 2023 |title=Despite setbacks, ispace to launch second moon mission in Q4 2024 |url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/16/despite-setbacks-ispace-to-launch-second-moon-mission-in-q4-2024/ |access-date=22 June 2024 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}

Mission timeline

File:CLPS Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 1 (KSC-20250114-PH-KLS01 0006).jpg and Hakuto-R Mission 2]]

The lander completed successful vacuum testing in June 2024.{{Cite web |title=ispace RESILIENCE Lunar Lander Successfully Achieves Testing Milestone in Preparation for Mission 2 |url=https://ispace-inc.com/news-en/?p=5527 |access-date=30 June 2024 |website=ispace |language=en}} The rover, later to be integrated with the lander, was completed in August 2024.{{Cite web |title=ispace's lunar rover arrives in Japan to prepare for 2nd space probe |url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2024/09/62a849d9c30e-ispaces-lunar-rover-arrives-in-japan-to-prepare-for-2nd-space-probe.html?phrase=g-7&words= |access-date=6 September 2024 |website=Kyodo News+}} In November 2024, the lander had arrived at the launch site in Florida.

The mission launched on 15 January 2025 at 06:11:39 UTC (1:11:39 am EST, local time at the launch site) on a Falcon 9 Block 5 launch vehicle.{{cite web|url=https://ispace-inc.com/news-en/?p=6485|title=space Mission 2 RESILIENCE lunar lander Arrives in Florida for Final Launch Preparations|date=27 November 2024|publisher=ispace}}{{Cite tweet |number=1876641220845244788 |user=Firefly_Space |title=Buckle up! Our road trip to the Moon is set to launch at 1:11 a.m. EST on Wednesday, Jan. 15 |date=7 January 2025}}

The lander successfully carried out a flyby of the Moon by 15 February, and was expected to land no earlier than 6 June.{{Cite web |date=15 February 2025 |title=ispace Completes Success 5 of Mission 2 Milestones |url=https://ispace-inc.com/news-en/?p=7032 |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=ispace }} The significant difference in landing dates between it and Blue Ghost, launched at the same time, is due to choice of a longer trajectory in order to save energy.{{Cite web |last=Potter |first=Ned |date=24 February 2025 |title=The Many Planned Moon Landings of 2025 (and Beyond) |url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/moon-landing-2025 |website=IEEE Spectrum |access-date=2025-03-04 }}

The space probe successfully reached lunar orbit on 6 May.{{Cite web|url=https://www.space.com/astronomy/moon/japans-resilience-moon-lander-arrives-in-lunar-orbit-ahead-of-historic-touchdown-try|title=Japan's Resilience moon lander arrives in lunar orbit ahead of June 5 touchdown|author1=Mike Wall|date=7 May 2025|website=Space}} On 28 May, the spacecraft performed an orbital control maneuver that brought it into a circular lunar orbit about 100 km above the surface.{{Cite web |author1=Samantha Mathewson |date=2025-06-02 |title=Private Japanese spacecraft aims to land in the moon's 'Sea of Cold' this week |url=https://www.space.com/astronomy/moon/private-japanese-spacecraft-will-attempt-to-land-in-the-moons-sea-of-cold-this-week |access-date=2025-06-04 |website=Space |language=en}}

The mission was scheduled to land on Thursday, 5 June, at 19:17 UTC, assuming the primary landing spot in the middle of Mare Frigoris was chosen. If ispace decided to use one of the three backup landing sites, those attempts would occur on different times.{{Cite web |author1=Tariq Malik |date=2025-06-03 |title=What time will Japan's ispace Resilience probe land on the moon on June 5? |url=https://www.space.com/space-exploration/missions/what-time-is-japan-ispace-resilience-moon-landing |access-date=2025-06-04 |website=Space |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=ispace Updates Timing for Expected Touchdown on the Lunar Surface to 4:17 a.m. JST |url=https://ispace-inc.com/news-en/?p=7631 |access-date=2025-06-05 |website=ispace |language=en}}

On 5 June 2025, the lander failed to complete its landing, impacting the lunar surface.

Landing site

File:North Pole-Mare Frigoris Si-Castagno-Ferruggia.jpg is the dark band extending from upper left to lower right|190x190px|left]]

The intended landing site for the mission was in the far northern Mare Frigoris (60.5 degrees north latitude and 4.6 degrees west longitude{{Cite web |title=ispace Updates Timing for Expected Touchdown on the Lunar Surface to 4:17 a.m. JST |url=https://ispace-inc.com/news-en/?p=7631 |access-date=2025-06-04 |website=ispace |language=en}}), a northern location still allowing continuous line-of-sight radio communication from Earth.{{cite web |url=https://ispace-inc.com/news-en/?p=6120 |website=ispace-inc.com |title=ispace Announces Launch Timing, RESILIENCE Lander Progress, and Planned Lunar Landing Zone During Mission 2 Update Press Conference |date=12 September 2024}} The three backup landing sites are also located in Mare Frigoris.

This is the same general area of the Moon targeted by Hakuto-R Mission 1 in 2023. However, ispace did not attempt to land Hakuto-R 2 in Atlas Crater.

Payloads

= Rover =

The mission included a {{cvt|5|kg}} rover called TENACIOUS, designed and manufactured in Luxembourg, which was planned to explore the area around the landing site after being lowered to the lunar surface from the lander.{{cite web |url=https://ispace-inc.com/news-en/?p=5593 |website=ispace-inc.com |title=ispace-EUROPE announces Completion of First European Designed, Manufactured, and Assembled Lunar Micro Rover |date=25 July 2024}} TENACIOUS is the first European-built lunar rover. It was developed with co-funding from the Luxembourg National Space Programme (managed by LSA, implemented by ESA).{{Cite web |title=ESA supports Moon mission carrying first European rover |url=https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Operations/ESA_Ground_Stations/ESA_supports_Moon_mission_carrying_first_European_rover |access-date=2025-06-04 |website=www.esa.int |language=en}}

The rover was carrying Moonhouse, a Falu red miniature cottage artwork designed by {{ill|Mikael Genberg|sv}}.{{cite news |url=https://www.sverigesradio.se/artikel/swedish-wooden-cottage-on-the-way-to-the-moon |title=Swedish wooden cottage on the way to the Moon |publisher=Sveriges Radio|language=English |date=15 January 2025 |access-date=17 January 2025}}{{cite news |url=https://www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/vastmanland/nu-ska-manhuset-aka-ut-i-rymden-folj-uppskjutningen-direkt |title=Västeråsarens månhus har åkt ut i rymden |publisher=SVT Kultur |author1=Elin Krell |author2=Christoffer Söderman |author3=Jonathan Sseruwagi |language=Swedish |date=15 January 2025 |access-date=17 January 2025}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nyteknik.se/rymden/historisk-uppskjutning-nu-har-manhuset-lamnat-jorden/4322941 |title=Nu har månhuset lämnat Jorden |publisher=Ny teknik |first=Bill |last=Burrau |language=Swedish |date=15 January 2025 |access-date=17 January 2025 }}{{Cite web |title=ispace Announces Launch Timing, RESILIENCE Lander Progress, and Planned Lunar Landing Zone During Mission 2 Update Press Conference |url=https://ispace-inc.com/news-en/?p=6120 |access-date=2025-06-04 |website=ispace |language=en}}

= Lander payloads =

In addition to the rover, the RESILIENCE lander carried payloads from Takasago Thermal Engineering Co., Euglena Co., National Central University, Quantum Aerospace, and Bandai Namco Research Institute, Inc.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-16 |title=Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 1 Launches to Moon |url=https://thelatoday.com/firefly-aerospaces-blue-ghost-mission-1-successfully-launches-heads-for-the-moon/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2025-01-17 |title=Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 1: Lunar Voyage |url=https://lonestar-weekly.com/boots-buzz/firefly-aerospaces-blue-ghost-mission-1-embarks-on-historic-lunar-voyage/ |access-date=2025-03-03 }} The lander also carried a memory disk developed by UNESCO, which contains 275 languages and cultural artifacts.{{Cite web |last=Garofalo |first=Meredith |date=8 May 2024 |title=Private lunar lander to carry 'memory disk' of 275 human languages to the moon in 2024 |url=https://www.space.com/moon-lander-ispace-hakuto-r-memory-disk-human-languages-unesco |access-date=22 June 2024 |website=Space.com}}

Communication

The European Space Agency (ESA) supported the mission's operations by providing communication services using its ESTRACK network of antennas. The rover TENACIOUS was to be controlled from ispace Europe SA's control centre in Luxembourg. The commands were to be first sent to ESA's ESOC in Germany and then relayed through the ESTRACK antennas to the Moon. Communications were lost just before the projected landing,{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/05/moon-japan-crash-landing|title=Second attempt by Japanese company to land on moon likely ends in failure|first=Richard|last=Luscombe|work=The Guardian |date=5 June 2025}} likely due to the lander crashing on the Moon.