Private company Ispace expected to carry out the first commercial landing on the moon but lost contact with its lander moments before touchdown. Attempts to reconnect would continue, said Ispace’s stricken CEO Takeshi Hakamada at the end of a livestream that turned abruptly from triumphant to stunned, but “we have to assume that we could not complete the landing on the lunar surface.” (The Logic) 

Talking point: Launched in December on a slow, low-energy course for the moon, the lander was carrying two rovers. One was equipped with technology from Ottawa’s Mission Control Space Services meant to help rovers understand their surroundings and operate more independently from controllers on Earth. “We know the risks involved and are continuing to push the boundaries of innovation and advancing humanity’s understanding of the cosmos,” Mission Control’s communications manager Candice Kinney told The Logic. The Hakuto-R vehicle also had cameras from Canada’s Canadensys aboard, which transmitted test images during the approach to the moon. Hakamada said Ispace did get data from the lander on the way down, which will aid future planned missions.