Overview

• The Resilience lander impacted the Mare Frigoris region on June 5 after its laser rangefinder failed to deliver timely altitude data during descent.
• NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter released high-resolution images showing a 16-meter crater, a dark regolith smudge and a faint bright halo roughly 280 meters from the intended landing site.
• A microrover named Tenacious and a miniature “Moonhouse” artwork by Mikael Genberg were lost in the crash, underscoring the mission’s symbolic payload.
• Ispace has announced an external review board with former NASA and JAXA engineers, expanded preflight testing plans and consideration of alternative or supplemental sensors.
• This marks the company’s second lunar landing failure since April 2023, yet ispace remains committed to launching its next two moon missions in 2027.