Space: Japanese company launches delivery service on the surface of the moon

Not many people have been interested in it since Apollo program. 50 years later, the moon It is once again attracting attention and is back at the heart of many space programs such as the recent successful US Artemis mission. In addition to the United States, China and Russia are working on a future colonization of our satellite in the hope of stabilizing it livable village.

But how can you construct buildings if you can’t bring materials there? That’s where iSpace comes in, a Japanese company that just sent its first lander into space thanks to its takeoff SpaceX rocketDecember 11 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The capsule, which is no larger than a refrigerator, is capable of carrying various resources to be deposited directly on the lunar surface.

“low cost” trip

Dubbed “HAKUTO-R,” the device required 200 employees, 5 years of labor and support for Google’s Lunar Xprize science program to see the light of day. Among the main challenges: achieving a harmless landing on the lunar surface and designing a capsule in which electronics would take up minimal space to increase storage space for the equipment to be delivered.

Another problem: sending such an object to a natural satellite costs a lot of money, especially in fuel. To be competitive, imagine iSpace engineers Long trip, energy efficiency. Thus Hakuto-R will use the Earth’s gravity and then the Sun’s gravity to move slowly towards its target. A detour of 1.6 million km will allow him to land at the end of April if all goes well. Only then will the aircrews stationed in Tokyo turn on the capsule’s engines to guide it back to Earth.

Commercial conquest of space

If the mission is new, so is the nature of iSpace. Until now, travel to the Moon has been funded with public funds through space programs. This time, it is a private company that puts in resources and intends to make a very profitable business out of it. On this first trip, the Japanese company already has many customers. In the middle of its 30-kilogram payload, two scouting vehicles belonging to two different space agencies will say goodbye. Another Japanese group sent experimental batteries to be tested in harsh conditions. Finally, the NASA He asked iSpace to bring him some rock samples for research. Hakuto-R will stay 10 days on the lunar surface before returning. So interested in this delivery service that Americans have already signed new contracts to renew the experience in 2024 and 2025.

Another curiosity in this mission, one of the robots to be delivered to the moon was designed by the United Arab Emirates (equipped with French cameras). A first for the federal state of Arabia, which is also starting to look to the stars. The first Arab astronaut was on boardiss In 2019, a probe was placed in orbit around it Mars last year. A second lunar rover is planned to be launched within two years with the goal of establishing the first Martian colony in Prince’s name by 2117.

You may also be interested in:

⋙ Is the land of the moon suitable for cultivation?

⋙ The Space Elevator: A Reality in 30 Years?

⋙ Space: Who is Sophie Adinot, the new French astronaut chosen by the European Space Agency?