June 5, 2025 — Mare Frigoris, The Moon
In a groundbreaking fusion of art and space exploration, a quaint red Swedish cottage is poised to become the first house ever to be placed on the Moon. On June 5 at 9:24 PM CET, the Moonhouse—an artistic concept developed over the past twenty years—will strive for a gentle landing on the lunar surface aboard the Japanese lander RESILIENCE, managed by the Tokyo-based space firm ispace.
This house, a scaled-down version of the classic Swedish “stuga”, was envisioned in 1999 by artist Mikael Genberg. His aspiration: to position a simple, human symbol on the Moon, not as a scientific endeavor or a geopolitical assertion, but as “a quiet reminder of humanity, imagination, and home.”
“It’s a beacon of hope—and an eye turned toward Earth, the pale blue dot,” Genberg said.
A Dream Decades in the Making
Genberg’s imaginative idea has evolved into a significant project that includes engineers, artists, and space agencies from around the world. Now, after over four months in space, The Moonhouse is approaching the conclusion of its remarkable journey—and the start of its legacy.
The lunar lander RESILIENCE is set to land in Mare Frigoris, commonly referred to as the Sea of Cold. However, the most challenging part of the mission will occur after the landing.
Attached to the lunar rover TENACIOUS, the small red house needs to be carefully deployed and dropped—just 8 centimeters—onto the Moon’s surface. While it may seem like a short distance, it represents a significant moment.
“The hardest part starts now,” says Emil Vinterhav, technical lead for The Moonhouse. “We’ll be holding our breath until we see the images.”
Once RESILIENCE arrives, rover operator Antoine Bocquier will guide TENACIOUS from a distance across the Moon to locate a stable and symbolically significant location for the house. The ultimate deployment relies on gravity and is managed entirely from Earth—400,000 kilometers away.
“It’s a delicate maneuver,” says Bocquier, a Senior Space System Engineer at ispace. “But when it succeeds, it will be a moment like no other.”
For supporters and collaborators, The Moonhouse is not just about landing an object on the Moon—it’s about the power of persistence, creativity, and shared vision.
“This is more than a work of art,” said Hans Elis Johansson, Communications Director for the project. “It is a 26-year journey of persistence, collaboration, and belief—a red cottage that dares to dream on the Moon, forever.”
If successful, the red house will stand alone on the lunar surface as a permanent symbol of Earth’s humanity, imagination, and quiet optimism—a poetic gesture etched into space history.
Watch the Landing Live
Follow the Moon house landing mission via livestream at: https://ispace-inc.com/landing
For more information, visit: www.themoonhouse.se
