Leading Japanese space startup ispace Inc. said Wednesday its lunar micro rover has arrived in Japan from Luxembourg for a series of inspections ahead of its second lunar exploration mission this winter.
The rover, named Tenacious, will be integrated into its lunar lander Resilience, and is expected to be launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the company said.
The latest plan comes after the company's failed attempt in April 2023 to become the world's first private firm to land a spacecraft on the lunar surface. Its lander is thought to have crashed on the Moon's surface during its final approach, it said at the time.
Provided by Kyodo News
"The rover's name, Tenacious, embodies our resolve never to give up and keep making efforts," Takeshi Hakamada, founder and CEO of ispace, said at a press conference at Haneda airport in Tokyo. "We will learn from our experience and keep trying."
The rover, which is 54 centimeters in length and 31.5 cm in width with a height of 26 cm, weighs around 5 kilograms. The vehicle, whose frame is made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics to withstand the rocket launch, is expected to conduct surface exploration, including the collection of lunar regolith.
Japan Airlines Co., which has been supporting ispace's mission, helped bring the rover to Haneda airport from Luxembourg, where the venture's subsidiary in charge of developing the rover is based.
The startup is currently checking its rover was not damaged on the flight over and that its systems are all working at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's facility in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture.
The rover will be transported to the United States for the planned launch after the inspection is completed, ispace said.