Lunar Lander's Glorious Eclipse Photo of Earth Before Demise.

The Hakuto-R lunar lander captured a breathtaking photo of Earth before its apparent crash landing on the moon.

[{"selector":"#anim-b886f66c-4d6e-4c1d-9215-abce14cfc5f0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-130%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-46858d67-fb90-4393-829a-5e0f455c4fd2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eb1068ed-e4ce-495c-8c04-a219403b1455","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

The image shows Earth on top of the lunar horizon during a total solar eclipse, with Australia under the moon's shadow.

[{"selector":"#anim-14f6c1e6-caed-4ca7-b31c-22a2f8d288a8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-130%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ef832ef1-2f75-4015-ba7f-ec3088626fd9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7ceacf32-a34a-484b-8af9-c4c6638fa8cb","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c3b491df-a598-4980-a7aa-5f049eeb014f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-20.342120673117712%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}]

The Hakuto-R mission was part of ispace's Mission 1, aimed at commercial space exploration.

[{"selector":"#anim-84226416-6634-4ded-9541-6907d23a0cb5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-130%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a030ec55-0f53-4416-8be8-bc18dd1c6f6e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8fc5ce5e-f95f-4516-b070-57a93606acf7","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-976668fd-03fd-42aa-ac5a-d7425221cfc7 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-13.506518183466943%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}]

The mission was unsuccessful in landing the craft on the moon due to losing contact during descent.

[{"selector":"#anim-d1f609a3-ee48-497b-9bca-a9d3f43600aa","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-130%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9307dabc-2440-4515-9905-fc93ea1e8faf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d4953e52-8ac4-47fd-a433-555c5244cd8c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bfbf1757-adfd-432a-9ca6-595827ed2929 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-10.406553157806748%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}]

The founder and CEO of ispace, Takeshi Hakamada, made a live broadcast acknowledging the failed landing.

[{"selector":"#anim-76ff9f83-7b68-43a4-8146-9f599974fd20","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-130%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d704cda5-cb72-4a43-9aca-e5f60d02a5b0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-413f455a-3241-4b1e-896f-772cd4536158","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-90b4015a-542d-4cae-8e51-9c2fb76d3aa2 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-15.970896740077603%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}]

Analysis suggests that Hakuto-R ran out of propellant to slow its descent, leading to the crash landing.

[{"selector":"#anim-dcac23b8-f640-46cb-91d3-2bb3f2f92984","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-130%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4401d3f4-bc8b-4c98-a5d7-3b6a4c47f503","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4ea9115f-35f5-419a-83c9-176b0a71f930","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4f0949f8-4b96-469d-b905-56dbf6ee358f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-10.149647645513557%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}]

Other private space ventures have also experienced similar crashes while attempting to land on the moon.

[{"selector":"#anim-02077976-126e-4825-bd97-32d87cabfc1d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-130%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3f1dec5d-8962-4f10-9093-b275ed99e76d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1ce72c69-cf88-43cc-81cc-a6ae4998301a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8a125338-3c44-4585-be9f-d7157e5265ea [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-6.003936740907614%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}]

Despite the failure, the Hakuto-R mission provided valuable data for future lunar missions.

[{"selector":"#anim-12a8f390-9945-418c-9abb-88cb1770fcb5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-130%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-17e22554-cabc-477d-becd-6ba41fd56b6d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d85fb479-9b1e-445d-aa2c-defbeb849a9e","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-63220399-24f4-49b7-95c3-3e2dbdc87256 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-7.2700294143067%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] Learn more

ispace has plans for two more moon missions in the coming years, indicating a continued interest in commercial space exploration.

[{"selector":"#anim-59616787-773a-4f94-8616-9c34d30cc3b3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-130%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-be6b811e-1ad6-49fd-8243-bc3e7d4e885e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-97edee41-7210-48bb-a0f7-7ff2f7ffc3b4","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5e267e6f-00fb-4d8c-b5d8-8592076e4b45 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-12.499999772451451%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] Learn more

Breaking: Japanese Lunar Lander Loses Contact with Ground Control

[{"selector":"#anim-04a2f1f2-ba2b-4af4-adca-3a93ea61125c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-130%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6a94463b-e64b-4b0a-ada5-b756fc227043","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6173b40f-4b93-4edb-9ab4-76b66424ab3b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-99925803-1d4b-43a2-96a5-6ac75e1a1793 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-14.159291817918207%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] Learn more