Japan startup: Failed moon landing due altitude miscalculation

TOKYO: Japanese startup ispace inc’s failed Hakuto-R moon landing mission last month was caused by an altitude miscalculation that meant the spacecraft ran out of fuel, the company said.

The Tokyo-based ispace said it lost connection with the Hakuto-R Mission 1 lander after the spacecraft attempted what would have been the world’s first commercial soft-landing on the moon’s surface.