The article discusses recent developments in lunar exploration, particularly focusing on ISPACE’s Resilience lunar lander, which is on track to land on the moon soon. The lander, part of ISPACE’s effort to gain expertise in deep space travel, had a slower trajectory aimed at energy efficiency, allowing for system checks during its long journey. In contrast, other companies like Firefly Aerospace and Intuitive Machines use quicker, more direct paths to the moon.
ISPACE’s prior lunar lander mission faced a collision upon landing in April 2023, prompting a reassessment of strategies. The company plans to adopt a more direct route for its next mission, Apex 1.0, in collaboration with Draper under NASA’s Artemis program.
The Resilience lander carries scientific equipment for testing purposes. If successful, ISPACE will become the first commercial company outside the U.S. to achieve such a feat, joining Firefly, which successfully landed its Blue Ghost spacecraft earlier this year. Both companies contribute to NASA’s Commercial Moon Payload Service, helping to prepare for future human missions to the moon.
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