Double Moonshot: The New Space Race Heats Up

Two moon landers from Japan's ispace and U.S.'s Firefly Aerospace are set for a dual launch via SpaceX, highlighting the intense international interest in lunar exploration. This latest mission reflects the geopolitical and technological ambitions of private companies and nations seeking to explore and utilize the moon's resources.

Two moon landers, from Japan's ispace and U.S. space firm Firefly, were mounted on a SpaceX rocket in Florida on Tuesday, gearing up for a dual lunar mission. This marks a significant phase in the global competition to explore the moon.

Japanese company ispace will deploy its Hakuto-R Mission 2, after its first attempt failed last April due to an altitude miscalculation. Meanwhile, Texas-based Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander will make it the third company to launch a CLPS mission.

These missions underline the moon's strategic importance, as countries and private enterprises worldwide focus on its potential for astronaut bases and resource mining.

(With inputs from agencies.)