ispace is a Japanese lunar exploration company that aims to provide low-cost and frequent transportation services to the Moon. They specialize in designing and building lunar landers and rovers for payload delivery and data collection. ispace has partnerships with organizations like JAXA and ESA, and their customers include government space agencies, research institutions, and private companies. The company's vision is to expand human presence beyond Earth by enabling the utilization of lunar resources.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
ispace remains committed to advancing lunar transportation services and expanding the lunar economy under the future NASA CLPS 2.0 framework.
The end of the CP-12 task order will terminate the subcontract involving ispace-U.S..
Kimi Onoda, Japan’s Minister of State for Space Policy, visited the ispace booth on the opening day of SPACETIDE 2026.
iSpace launched its first autonomous booster recovery drone ship, Qinglan (清澜), in August last year as the first part of its Xingji Guihang (星际归航) fleet.
The Hyperbola-3 pathfinder gained semi-functional landing legs in May for drop tests at iSpace’s launch vehicle processing and refurbishment facility next to the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site.
iSpace recovery teams will continue practicing procedures for bringing a Hyperbola-3 first stage back after landing before Qinglan is used for recovery operations.
iSpace has not yet integrated a Hyperbola-3 launch vehicle for Qinglan’s debut flight and recovery attempt.
iSpace’s Qinglan drone ship is 42 meters wide and 100 meters long.
ispace develops technologies and missions dedicated to lunar exploration.
Around the middle of June, iSpace placed the Hyperbola-3 pathfinder onto Qinglan at Yangjiang port in Guangdong province.
iSpace took Qinglan offshore with the Hyperbola-3 pathfinder for extensive trials supported by five other vessels.
In June, iSpace loaded an inert Hyperbola-3 first-stage pathfinder onto Qinglan.
iSpace has already practiced unloading a booster from Qinglan at least twice.
Kimi Onoda and ispace discussed the continued growth of Japan’s commercial space industry and ispace’s recent activities supporting that growth.
iSpace officials are aiming to fly and attempt a landing at least once this year.
iSpace raised $729 million in the first half of 2026.
iSpace completed sea training for its recovery barge using a mock Hyperbola-3 first stage in mid-late June.
iSpace completed a sea trial of its recovery barge with a Hyperbola-3 mock-up stage onboard.
iSpace shipped a Hyperbola-3 mock-up stage to a recovery barge for a landing test.
Luxembourg attracted ispace to establish its European headquarters in the country.