SpaceX launched a pair of lunar landers on Wednesday for private US and Japanese companies. View on euronews

Firefly's "Blue Moon" and ispace's "Resilience" are the latest in an ongoing push to gain private-sector experience exploring the moon.

Lunar landers built by US and Japanese companies are poised to "rideshare" to the Moon, showcasing the private sector's growing role in space exploration.

Japanese startup Space Walker aims to make space transportation as "accessible as commercial air travel today."

In recent years, several spacecraft failed in their attempts to land on the moon. But 2025 may offer crucial second chances.

TOKYO/CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida -- A rocket carrying two lunar landers, one from Japan's ispace, was launched from the U.S. on Wednesday, marking the Japanese startup's second attempt to land on the moon and become the first Asian private company to do so.

SpaceX has launched a pair of lunar landers for US and Japanese companies looking to jumpstart business up there.

The two landers are expected to touch down on the surface of the moon in two and four months respectively.View on euronews

SpaceX has launched a pair of lunar landers for U.S. and Japanese companies looking to jumpstart business up there. The two landers rocketed away early Wednesday from Florida, the latest in a stream of private spacecraft aiming for the moon.

Two moon landers, one from Japan's ispace and another from U.S. space firm Firefly, began their journeys into space on Wednesday with SpaceX's unusual double moonshot launch, underscoring the global rush to examine the lunar surface.

ORLANDO, Florida/TOKYO (Reuters) -- Two moon landers, one from Japan's ispace and another from U.S. space firm Firefly, began their journeys into space on Wednesday with SpaceX's unusual double moonshot launch, underscoring the global rush to examine the lunar surface.