• Ispace's Resilience lander entered lunar orbit on May 6, 2025, after a nine-minute thruster burn.
• The landing is scheduled for June 5, targeting Mare Frigoris, with alternative sites considered through June 8.
• The lander carries multiple payloads, including a mini-rover called Tenacious designed to collect lunar regolith.

Ispace's Resilience lunar lander has achieved lunar orbit, a critical milestone toward its planned landing in early June. Launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in January, the mission represents Ispace's second attempt to land on the moon. The spacecraft is carrying several payloads for technology demonstration and lunar surface exploration, including a mini-rover called Tenacious. The successful orbit insertion positions Ispace to potentially become the first private Japanese company to achieve a soft landing on the moon, advancing commercial lunar activities.

• What: Ispace's Resilience lunar lander successfully entered lunar orbit after a nine-minute thruster burn and is preparing for a landing attempt in early June.
• Who: Ispace (Japanese company), SpaceX (launch provider), Firefly Aerospace, NASA, Swedish artist Mikael Genberg.
• When: Lunar orbit achieved May 6, 2025. Landing scheduled for June 5, 2025. Launched January 15, 2025.
• Where: Lunar orbit. Planned landing near the center of Mare Frigoris (Sea of Cold) on the moon.

The successful lunar orbit insertion by Ispace's Resilience lander is a crucial step for the company and for commercial lunar exploration. Following a failed landing attempt in 2023, this mission aims to demonstrate Ispace's capabilities in lunar landing and resource utilization. The mission's multiple payloads, including the Tenacious rover and the Moonhouse art project, showcase the diverse applications of commercial lunar missions. The success of Resilience could encourage further investment and development in the commercial space sector, potentially opening up new opportunities for lunar research and resource extraction.

The countdown to lunar landing has now officially begun.

First and foremost, we are extremely pleased that the Resilience lander successfully reached lunar orbit as planned today. We will continue to proceed with careful operations and thorough preparations to ensure the success of the lunar landing.

For me, the first time I really engaged with space was through ‘Star Wars.’ I was around 9 or 10 when I saw the original trilogy on TV. I was really inspired by the cool starships and robots. If I look back, that was definitely the spark for me.

Ispace's Resilience lander's successful entry into lunar orbit marks a significant achievement in the commercial space sector. With a planned landing in early June, the mission has the potential to be a major milestone for Ispace and Japan's space program. Ongoing monitoring and preparations will be crucial to ensure a safe and successful landing, paving the way for future lunar exploration and resource utilization efforts.