Posted: Sat, Mar 25, 2023, 11:21 AM ET (1521 GMT)
A lunar lander by Japanese company ispace has entered orbit around the moon. The HAKUTO-R Mission 1 lander entered orbit around the moon at 9:24 pm EDT Monday (0124 GMT Tuesday) after performing a burn of its main engine lasting several minutes. The company called the maneuver a success, setting the spacecraft up to attempt a landing in late April. The spacecraft, launched in December, is carrying a set of customer payloads. If it successfully touches down on the moon it would be the first private spacecraft to make a soft landing on the moon, following the governments of the former Soviet Union, the United States and China.

Related Links:

•  SpaceNews article
•  ispace press release