Created 13-Dec-22
Modified 13-Dec-23
from floridatoday.com...
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket boosted Japan's first privately developed lunar lander from Florida early Sunday, then generated powerful sonic booms as it returned to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for landing.
Just after 2:38 a.m. EST, the 230-foot rocket vaulted ispace's Hakuto-R lander from Launch Complex 40 on a moon-bound trajectory. The spacecraft separated from the upper stage about 45 minutes later, kicking off a series of complicated maneuvers that will eventually end with a lunar landing attempt in April 2023.
Hakuto, which means "white rabbit" in Japanese, boasts a suite of instruments and payloads designed to study the moon. More complicated ispace lunar landers are also being prepared in partnership with American companies connected to NASA's Artemis program. The company's stated mission involves taking advantage of the moon's resources to develop "space infrastructure needed to enrich our daily lives on Earth, as well as expand our living sphere into space."
The Falcon 9 booster that hosted Sunday's launch marked its fifth mission to date. The lighter-than-usual payload meant the first stage had enough leftover fuel to return to landing site, or RTLS, for processing and refurbishment. It could fly a sixth mission sometime next year.
Sunday's launch was the Space Coast's 54th of 2022, which further solidified the record-breaking pace that eclipsed last year's count by nearly two dozen. If schedules – and holiday air traffic – allow, SpaceX could launch two more missions before the year is out.
© Dennis Huff
