Japanese company attempted to land a moon spacecraft in the Moon about a month ago. However, the craft failed to land on the Moon and collided with the surface of the Moon. Now, the analysis of the data is complete and the company announced on Friday (26/5) the reason for the failure of this mission.

According to the AP News agency, a software problem and a last-minute change in landing position caused the craft to crash. Originally the company’s Hakuto spacecraft was supposed to land on a flat plain, but before launch, the system changed the landing site to a crater. The steep sides of the crater apparently confused the software and the spacecraft went into free fall and collided with the lunar surface.

The estimated speed at impact was more than 100 meters per second, said the company’s chief technology officer, Ryo Ujiie. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter photographed the crash site the next day as it flew overhead, revealing a debris field as well as lunar terrain displaced by the impact.

Computer simulations done before the landing attempt did not incorporate the terrain of the new landing area, Ujiie explained.

CEO and founder Takeshi Hakamada said that despite this failure, the company has two more missions planned for 2024 and 2025. If successful, ispace will be the first private company to land a spacecraft on the moon. Only three countries have achieved this: Russia, the United States and China. Two American companies have built lunar rovers that are expected to launch later this year from Cape Canaveral, in partnership with NASA.