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iSpace M2 Landing | What Happened? Why is the Moon so difficult?
June 12, 2025 · 35 min

On this episode, we discuss the second attempt by the Japanese company iSpace to land their Hakuto-R rover on the moon. The lander was lost on descent and no communication followed. What happened? What was the root cause of the failure? Why is the moon so hard to land on?

This week we touch on the broader spectrum of space exploration, including the improbable but successful Apollo 11 mission and the challenges for the current push for lunar missions by various nations and private companies.

We'd love to know YOUR thoughts - so make sure to reach out to us on social or email us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com

Here's to building a fantastic future - and continued progress in Space (and humanity)!

Spread Love, Spread Science Alex G. Orphanos

Timestamps:

00:00 Ispace Moon Landing Attempt and Initial Findings 02:02 Challenges, Technical Issues, and Range Finder Problems 13:35 Comparison with Apollo 11 and Current Lunar Missions 20:32 Ispace's Future Plans and the Importance of Learning 20:47 Best-of Live Broadcast and Community Hangout 35:11 Final Thoughts and Future Plans

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#spacemoonlanding #resilience #moonlander #laserrangefinder #lunarsurface #spaceexploration #microrover #spaceindustry #moonlanding #spacetechnology #apollo11 #NASA #ESA #JAXA