Japanese lunar exploration company ispace has announced plans to launch a new low-cost lunar cargo business by partnering with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, using the company’s next-generation Starship rocket and lunar lander.
The Tokyo-based firm said it has secured 500 kilograms of payload capacity on a future Starship mission expected to land on the Moon as early as 2030.
Under the new initiative, ispace will develop a lunar surface vehicle capable of carrying scientific instruments, commercial equipment and other payloads for customers around the world. Multiple clients will be able to share a single Starship mission, helping reduce the cost of transporting cargo to the lunar surface.
The company said the new business is designed to make lunar transportation more affordable and accessible as interest in commercial Moon missions continues to grow.
By leveraging SpaceX’s heavy-lift Starship system, ispace hopes to expand opportunities for governments, research institutions and private companies seeking to conduct experiments or deploy technology on the Moon.
The announcement marks another step in the growing commercialisation of lunar exploration, with private companies increasingly looking beyond Earth orbit as demand for Moon missions accelerates ahead of the next decade.