Global Rush to Explore the Lunar Surface
Two Moon landers, one from Japan’s ispace and another from US space firm Firefly, were fastened atop a SpaceX rocket in Florida on Tuesday ahead of an unusual double moonshot launch, underscoring the global rush to peruse the lunar surface.
Ispace’s Second Attempt
Japanese space exploration company ispace will launch its Hakuto-R Mission 2, making its second attempt to land on the Moon after an initial mission in April 2023 failed in its final moments due to an altitude miscalculation. The Hakuto lander, named Resilience, is carrying US$16 million worth of customer missions and six payloads in total, including an in-house "micro rover" that will deploy from the lander and collect lunar samples.
Firefly’s First Moon Lander
Texas-based Firefly Aerospace will launch its first Moon lander, Blue Ghost, which would make it the third company to launch a moon lander under Nasa’s public-private commercial lunar payload services (CLPS) programme. Firefly’s Blue Ghost will aim to reach the Moon 45 days after launch, around March 2. That lander is carrying 10 payloads from a variety of Nasa-funded customers and one from Blue Origin-owned Honeybee Robotics.
Nasa’s Artemis Programme
Nasa with its Artemis programme aims to return humans to the Moon by 2027 – but likely later – for the first time since 1972, while China plans to put its own crews on the lunar surface by 2030 following a series of robotic missions. CLPS missions like Firefly’s Blue Ghost, privately owned but substantially funded by Nasa, are meant to study the Moon’s surface and stimulate private lunar demand before Nasa sends humans there using SpaceX’s Starship and later Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander.
Conclusion
The global rush to explore the lunar surface is driven by the potential to host astronaut bases and hold resources that could be mined for in-space applications. With multiple companies and countries vying for a spot on the Moon, the competition is heating up. As Nasa’s Artemis programme aims to return humans to the Moon, the private sector is also playing a significant role in the lunar exploration efforts.
FAQs
Q: What is the purpose of the CLPS programme?
A: The CLPS programme is a public-private partnership between Nasa and private companies to study the Moon’s surface and stimulate private lunar demand.
Q: What is the timeline for Nasa’s Artemis programme?
A: Nasa aims to return humans to the Moon by 2027 – but likely later – for the first time since 1972.
Q: Who is funding the CLPS programme?
A: The CLPS programme is substantially funded by Nasa, with private companies contributing to the costs of the missions.