Japan and U.S. private companies take on China in new moon race

Japan's ispace sends off vehicle for second lunar landing attempt

20250115 ispace launch

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander as the primary payload and Japan-based ispace's Resilience lander as a secondary payload launches from in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 15. © Reuters

HIROYASU ODA, DAI KUWAMURA and SATOSHI KAWAHARA, Nikkei staff writers

TOKYO/CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida -- A rocket carrying two lunar landers, one from Japan's ispace, was launched from the U.S. on Wednesday, marking the Japanese startup's second attempt to land on the moon and become the first Asian private company to do so.

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored ContentThis content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.