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A Japanese spacetech startup that wanted to be the newest kid on the lunar block failed in its valiant (and expensive) attempt today when its spacecraft crashed.

Japan-based was set to make history today as the first for-profit venture to position a spacecraft on the moon.

Only three other countries have executed lunar landings: the United States, Russia and China, but all of those were part of national — not private — endeavors.

Founded in 2010, ispace has raised a total of in funding over nine rounds, according to . Its latest funding was raised on Oct. 25, 2021, from a that included and . Other investors in the company include , and .

• Here’s a look at the .

A wild trip

The lander launched on a rocket from Cape Canaveral on Dec. 11. Since then, the spacecraft has taken a three-month trek to enter orbit around the moon, according to reports.

On another historic note, the ispace lander was carrying a rover built by Dubai’s . The rover was the first Arab-built lunar spacecraft. The 22-pound rover will spend 14 days cruising around the moon gathering data.

Spacetech enthusiasm is iffy

Overall, investor enthusiasm in spacetech has waned, but not dissolved, since its heyday several years ago.

This year’s largest VC-backed funding recipient in the spacetech space, Munich-based satellite launch service , in late March that it secured $165 million in Series C investment.

To get a broader sense of where spacetech funding is going, of 64 companies in the industry that have raised venture or seed funding in the past two years.

Images courtesy of ispace.