Moon shot: Japan firm to attempt historic lunar landing

Tokyo (AFP) April 25, 2023

A Japanese space start-up will attempt Tuesday to become the first private company to put a lander on the Moon. If all goes to plan, ispace's Hakuto-R Mission 1 lander will start its descent towards the lunar surface at around 1540 GMT. It will slow its orbit some 100 kilometres above the Moon, then adjust its speed and altitude to make a "soft landing" around an hour later. Success