The "Kamikurama" lunar lander of Japan failed to land on the moon

On June 24th local time, the Japanese private enterprise "i Space Company" announced that the analysis results showed that the company's lunar lander "Kamikurama" failed to land on the lunar surface recently. The main reason for the failure was that the laser ranging instrument (height meter) malfunctioned, causing it to miss the appropriate time for deceleration, and ultimately the lander likely landed hard on the lunar surface. However, no abnormality was found in the laser ranging instrument during the pre-launch tests, so it is speculated that the laser ranging instrument may have malfunctioned or its performance declined during the flight, or its actual performance was lower than the estimated level. In addition, factors such as abnormal reflectivity of the lunar surface, too low or too off-angle laser emission, low laser power itself, and interference from space radiation affecting the operation of the equipment may also have led to the failure of the ranging instrument. In recent years, Japan has made multiple attempts to launch lunar landers, but has encountered failures many times. For example, the "Hostile" lunar lander launched in November 2022 failed to establish communication with the ground due to abnormal attitude; the "Small Lunar Landing Experiment Vehicle" launched in January 2024 had a propulsion system failure when landing on the lunar surface. The company stated that it is currently developing a large lunar lander, with the goal of conducting a lunar surface landing attempt in 2027.

The failure of the "Kamikurama" lunar lander of Japan has brought complex and multi-faceted impacts. Firstly, it has an impact on technological technology. This failure exposed Japan's shortcomings in laser ranging technology. The laser ranging instrument is a key equipment of the lunar lander, used to measure the distance between the lander and the lunar surface, and its malfunction directly led to the lander not being able to decelerate adequately, missing the deceleration opportunity, and ultimately landing failure. This highlights the reliability and stability issues of laser ranging technology in extreme space environments, providing an important direction for subsequent technological research and development. This failure exposed Japan's shortcomings in laser ranging technology. The laser ranging instrument is a key equipment of the lunar lander, used to measure the distance between the lander and the lunar surface, and its malfunction directly led to the lander not being able to decelerate adequately, missing the deceleration opportunity, and ultimately landing failure. This highlights the reliability and stability issues of laser ranging technology in extreme space environments, providing an important direction for subsequent technological research and development.

Secondly, it has an impact on technological innovation and improvement in the field of technology. In the face of failure, Japan will have to strengthen the research and testing of related technologies. This includes improving the accuracy and reliability of the laser ranging instrument, optimizing the deceleration control algorithm, and improving the performance of the propulsion system. Through continuous experimentation and improvement, Japan is expected to achieve more reliable lunar landing technology in the future. This failure may also prompt Japan to introduce new technologies and concepts to improve the lunar lander. For example, using more advanced sensors and navigation systems, introducing artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to improve the autonomous decision-making ability of the lander. The introduction of these new technologies and concepts will help enhance the overall performance of Japan's lunar lander.

Thirdly, it has an impact on international cooperation and competition. Japan's failure in lunar exploration may prompt it to seek cooperation opportunities with other countries. By sharing technologies, resources, and experience, Japan can accelerate the development of its lunar exploration technology and reduce research and development costs and risks. This failure may also have a certain impact on the international lunar exploration competition landscape. As an important aerospace country in Asia, Japan's performance in lunar exploration has always been of great attention. This failure may give other countries more opportunities and advantages in lunar exploration, thereby intensifying international competition.

In conclusion, this failure once again highlights the difficulty and risks of space exploration. Lunar landing is an extremely complex task that requires high technical precision and reliability. This failure also reminds scientific researchers that space exploration requires long-term and stable planning and investment. One should not rush for quick success, nor should one neglect the importance of technological research and testing. Only through continuous efforts and investment can reliable space exploration missions be achieved.