News On Japan

Japanese Lunar Lander Resilience Launched From Kennedy Space Center

FLORIDA, Jan 16 (News On Japan) - A rocket carrying the lunar lander developed by Japanese space venture ispace was successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center in the United States.

The launch took place shortly after 3 p.m. Japan time aboard a SpaceX rocket, which successfully separated from the lunar lander shortly afterward.

Ispace plans to attempt a lunar landing between late May and early June this year as part of its lunar exploration mission.

In April two years ago, an earlier attempt to land on the Moon ended in failure. This time, the lunar lander has been named "Resilience" to symbolize "recovery" and "rebirth."

Although a U.S. company achieved a privately funded lunar landing in February last year, if "Resilience" succeeds, it will mark the first such accomplishment by a domestic private company.

Source: TBS

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

The Nara District Court has sentenced Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, to life in prison, as requested by prosecutors, for shooting and killing former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a campaign speech. Yamagami showed no change in expression as the life sentence was handed down.

Japan welcomed more than 40 million foreign visitors in 2025 for the first time, setting a new annual record, even as arrivals from China fell sharply in December.

A strong winter pressure pattern is expected to persist through the weekend, raising the risk of additional snowfall mainly along the Sea of Japan coast, including the Hokuriku and Sanin regions, with authorities urging caution against potential heavy snow disasters.

A traditional New Year event known as “Jaduna” was held in Miyazu, Kyoto Prefecture, with local residents praying for a year of good health and protection from illness.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced on Monday that she will dissolve the House of Representatives on January 23rd, the opening day of the regular Diet session, and hold a snap general election with voting set for February 8th.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Sci-Tech NEWS

Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui returned safely to Earth on January 15th, smiling and waving after completing more than five months aboard the International Space Station.

Sleep scientist Masashi Yanagisawa, a professor at the University of Tsukuba, offers explanations to common sleep-related concerns gathered from people on the street. People’s question: Is it better for sleep to take a shower or soak in a bath?

The steel industry has long supported the backbone of global industry and economic growth, but at the same time it accounts for more than 10 percent of worldwide CO2 emissions, making decarbonization an urgent challenge.

Osamu Suwa, an astronaut with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), is set to undertake his first long-term stay aboard the International Space Station, becoming the eighth Japanese astronaut to do so.

A male whale measuring about 15 meters in length and weighing roughly 32 tons, which strayed into Osaka Bay and died in January 2024, was excavated from the site where it had been buried. The operation was carried out over two days, during which the whale’s bones were gradually uncovered.

More than a day after a strong earthquake struck Tottori and Shimane prefectures on January 6th, with a maximum seismic intensity of upper 5, disruptions including water outages are still affecting local communities.

A road uplift that occurred in a Tokyo neighborhood is believed to have been caused by construction work on the Linear Chuo Shinkansen, with JR Central saying the tunnel excavation was likely responsible for the surface damage.

The H3 Rocket No. 8 was launched at 10:51 a.m. on December 22 from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, but the mission ended in failure after the rocket was unable to place its onboard satellite into its planned orbit.