A NASA spacecraft orbiting the moon has captured images of the crash site of a Japanese company’s lunar lander.
The photos, released by NASA on Friday, reveal the aftermath of ispace’s lander impacting the lunar surface two weeks prior.
The images depict a dark smudge, marking the location where the lander, named Resilience, and its accompanying mini rover collided with Mare Frigoris, also known as the Sea of Cold, a volcanic area in the moon’s northern region.
A subtle halo surrounds the impact zone, caused by lunar dust dispersed during the crash.
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter obtained these images last week.
This crash marks the second setback for Tokyo-based ispace in the past two years. Company representatives are scheduled to hold a press conference next week to discuss the reasons behind the mission’s failure, which was launched from Cape Canaveral in January.
