ispace Lunar Lander Crashes Due to Laser Rangefinder Issues
Japanese company ispace's second lunar lander mission ended in a crash caused by problems with a laser rangefinder. The hardware issue prevented the rangefinder from providing accurate altitude data during descent, leading to a rapid deceleration attempt and eventual impact. The company is now taking steps to address the problem and improve future missions.
Japanese company ispace believes its second lunar lander mission crashed due to problems with a laser rangefinder. The laser rangefinder failed to provide timely altitude data, causing the lander to descend too fast. The crash site was identified by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, showing a crater 16 meters across. Telemetry ruled out software and propulsion issues, leading to the conclusion that the laser rangefinder's performance degraded. Possible causes include lunar surface conditions and reduced laser power. Ispace plans to enhance testing and consider using different sensors for future missions.
According to the source: SpaceNews.
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