Japanese company ispace plans to launch two more missions to land on the Moon in 2027, after its Resilience lander crashed into the lunar surface on Friday.
The Tokyo company confirmed that it lost communication with the lander moments before it was set to touch down. Engineers concluded that the spacecraft had a hard landing because of problems with a sensor responsible for measuring its distance from the surface.
Ispace’s US subsidiary is working on a larger landing vehicle, called Apex 1.0, which will be launched in 2027. Engineers in Japan are also working on a fourth mission, scheduled for the same year.
“Given that there is currently no prospect of a successful lunar landing, our top priority is to swiftly analyse the telemetry data we have obtained thus far and work diligently to identify the cause,” ispace founder Takeshi Hakamada said.
What went wrong?
On Friday, ispace’s Mission 2 lander began its descent towards the lunar surface from an altitude of about 100km, firing its main engine as planned.
The spacecraft was confirmed to be nearly vertical, but then telemetry data was lost.
Engineers at the mission control centre in Tokyo did not receive confirmation of a safe landing.
An initial review found that the laser rangefinder, which tells the spacecraft how far it is from the ground, struggled to obtain valid readings during descent.
Without accurate distance measurements, the lander was unable to slow down, causing it to crash.
Ispace’s first landing vehicle suffered a similar fate in 2023, when a miscalculation in altitude estimation caused the spacecraft to crash into the Moon. It was carrying payloads from several countries, including the UAE’s Rashid rover.
Future plans
The company will soon turn its attention to its two missions in 2027. Its Mission 3 vehicle will feature an upgraded lander with greater payload capacity and advanced guidance systems. The fourth mission will involve a lander called the Series 3.
Companies including ispace are carrying out lunar missions to create a business of transport services.
In January last year, US company Astrobotic launched its Peregrine lander, but a propellant leak scuppered the mission. The following month, Intuitive Machines said its Odysseus lander touched down on the Moon, before tipping over.
The company followed up with its Athena lander, which also landed on its side on the lunar surface.
In March this year, Texas-based Firefly Aerospace became the first company to report a successful private lunar mission. Its Blue Ghost lander operated on the surface of the Moon for two weeks.
Anna Hazlett, founder of UAE-based space advisory firm AzurX, said commercial access to the Moon could transform the economics of lunar missions.
“A commercial lunar transport service lowers the barrier to entry for space agencies and research institutions,” she told The National. “It’s a shift from bespoke, typically government-led missions to scalable lunar logistics, much like what SpaceX did for low-Earth orbit.”
The push to reach the lunar surface is also expected to benefit researchers. “If I want to carry out a scientific experiment on the Moon, I will have to design the entire mission, propose it to a space agency, and the launch will be in about a decade from conception,” said Dr Dimitra Atri, an astrophysicist at New York University Abu Dhabi.
“In the case of private companies, I only need to focus on building my experiment and the company will deliver the payload to the Moon rather quickly.”
Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
Directed by: RS Prasanna
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were ‘playing’ with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
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Match info:
Real Betis v Sevilla, 10.45pm (UAE)
Know before you go
Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4×4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
More on Quran memorisation:
SM Town Live is on Friday, April 6 at Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. Tickets are Dh375 at www.platinumlist.net
More from Neighbourhood Watch:The specs
Engine: 2.3-litre, turbo four-cylinder
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Power: 300hp
Torque: 420Nm
Price: Dh189,900
On sale: now
Mohammed bin Zayed MajlisFive personal finance podcasts from The National
To help you get started, tune into these Pocketful of Dirham episodes
·
Balance is essential to happiness, health and wealth
·
What is a portfolio stress test?
·
What are NFTs and why are auction houses interested?
·
How gamers are getting rich by earning cryptocurrencies
·
Should you buy or rent a home in the UAE?
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pocketsSPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S23%20ULTRA
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pocketsWOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
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Price: From Dh126,000
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SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh184,500
Living in…
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Key facilities
Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
‘The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window’
Director:Michael Lehmann
Stars:Kristen Bell
Rating: 1/5
Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
Company%C2%A0profile
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AloJapan.com