Ispace landing on the moon
Ispace’s HAKUTO-R lunar lander, named RESILIENCE, and lunar rover TENACIOUS are expected to land near the moon’s Mare Frigoris in the moon’s northern hemisphere today. Touchdown time is expected to be 3:17 p.m.
HAKUTO-R Mission 2’s TENACIOUS micro rover’s own objectives are to be operational and to collect lunar soil for NASA.
The HAKUTO-R Mission 2 took off from Launch Center 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in January of this year, taking Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar lander.
The Blue Ghost became the first commercial lander to successfully land on the moon in February.
This is ispace’s second attempt at landing on the moon. In 2023, HAKUTO-R Mission 1’s lander failed to land when a sensor miscalculated its height from the lunar surface, and it ran out of fuel.
Ispace’s U.S. branch in Denver is already working on the next model of the lunar lander.
Two people, dog rescued from Indian River after crash of small plane off Melbourne Beach
Two people and a dog were rescued from the Indian River after a small twin-engine Piper aircraft crash-landed just offshore near Melbourne Beach yesterday, according to Brevard County Fire Rescue.
The crash occurred around 1:50 p.m. in the 3100 block of River Villa Way. Emergency crews responded quickly, pulling the pilot, a passenger, and the dog onto a water rescue vessel. None required further medical treatment, officials said.
The aircraft, identified as a Piper PA-23, sank into the river, leaving only its tail visible above the water. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash.
Cocoa Beach Celebrates 100 years
The City of Cocoa Beach is celebrating its centennial birthday.
The once-desolate Brevard County town was founded in the 1920s, when developer Gus C. Edwards bought property to begin a resort town.
Many factors have contributed to the city’s growth over that time, from beaches, to surfing and the space program. All combined to make the city what it is today.
Cocoa Beach commissioners will make a 100th anniversary proclamation at their June 5 meeting.
Public Drinking in Satellite Beach?
Satellite Beach City Council is considering allowing alcohol on city-owned streets, sidewalks, and properties.
The council will review comparative data from neighboring Brevard County municipalities, most of which don't allow public alcohol consumption outside of designated areas or events.
With enough signatures, marijuana amendment will be reviewed by Florida Supreme Court
A ballot initiative to permit recreational use of marijuana for adults in Florida obtained enough signatures this week to trigger a legally-mandated financial and judicial review.
Smart and Safe Florida, the group sponsoring the constitutional amendment, gathered more than 377,000 signatures verified by local elections supervisors. Surpassing a threshold of 220,000 signatures for the state-required review.
Smart & Safe Florida filed an emergency motion to a federal judge May 30, saying the state's new prohibition on non-resident petition circulators infringes on First Amendment rights.
Brevard Zoo’s new female jaguar
The Brevard Zoo’s has added a new addition—Lua, a five-year-old female jaguar who recently arrived from Zoo de Granby in Quebec, Canada. Lua joins the Brevard Zoo as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, a collaborative program designed to maintain a healthy and genetically diverse population of jaguars in human care.
Additionally, the zoo’s first manatee rehabilitation patient, Churro, was released at Blue Spring State Park on Tuesday.
More: www.floridatoday.com
