A private lunar lander from Japan descended toward a touchdown on the moon Friday, but flight controllers lost contact with the spacecraft and were unsure of its fate. The Tokyo-based company ispace said its lander dropped out of lunar orbit as planned. But there was no immediate word on the outcome, following the hourlong descent.

Tokyo-based ispace hopes to succeed where its 2023 mission fell short, with a new lander, new software and a new chance at lunar history.