Ispace, a Japanese space startup, has suffered a major setback in its mission to explore the Moon. The company’s lunar lander failed to make a soft landing on the lunar surface, causing Ispace’s shares to tumble. This is a significant blow to the company’s ambitions, as it had been planning to offer commercial lunar transportation services in the near future.

The lander, which was named “Hakuto-R”, was part of Ispace’s first lunar exploration mission. The mission was designed to test the technology that the company plans to use for its commercial lunar transportation services. The lander was supposed to touch down softly on the lunar surface, deploy a small rover, and collect data for about a year.

However, the landing did not go as planned. Ispace announced that the lander’s onboard systems detected an abnormality during the landing sequence, causing it to deviate from its planned trajectory. The lander then flew horizontally above the surface for some time before eventually crashing into the Moon.

The failure is a significant setback for Ispace, which had raised around $200 million from investors to fund its lunar exploration plans. The company had hoped to become a major player in the space industry by offering transportation services to other companies, governments, and research institutions that want to conduct experiments or set up facilities on the Moon.

The failure is also a blow to Japan’s space ambitions. The country has been investing heavily in space technology in recent years, with a focus on lunar exploration. Ispace was seen as a promising player in this field, and its failure could undermine Japan’s broader efforts to become a major space power.

Ispace is not the only company that has experienced setbacks in lunar exploration. Last year, India’s lunar lander crashed during its descent, and Israel’s lunar lander crashed during its landing. These incidents highlight the challenges of exploring the Moon and the risks involved in such endeavors.

Ispace has said that it will continue to work on its lunar exploration plans, despite the setback. The company’s CEO, Takeshi Hakamada, said in a statement that “we will analyze the cause of the failure and do our utmost to prevent a recurrence.” He added that the company will “persevere in our challenge of exploring the Moon.”

Ispace’s failure underscores the difficulties of exploring space and the need for continued investment in space technology. It also highlights the importance of testing and refining technology before attempting major missions, particularly in an environment as unforgiving as space.

The failure of Ispace’s lunar lander is a disappointment for the company and its investors, as well as for Japan’s space ambitions. However, it is also a reminder of the risks and challenges of exploring the unknown, and the importance of perseverance and continued investment in space technology.