Japanese space startup ispace said it will delay a US government-sponsored lunar mission to 2030 and reduce its global workforce, marking a strategic reset after two unsuccessful Moon landing attempts.
The Tokyo-based company announced it will consolidate development of its lunar landers across its Japan and US units, pushing back a mission commissioned under NASA’s commercial lunar payload services programme by three years from its previous 2027 target.
The delay comes as the United States intensifies efforts to return astronauts to the Moon ahead of China, increasingly relying on commercial and international partnerships.
As part of its revised strategy, ispace said it plans to launch five lunar orbiters by 2030. These orbiters are expected to provide telecommunications, navigation and surface observation services to support long-term development activities on the Moon.
Chief Financial Officer Jumpei Nozaki said the restructuring could cost several million dollars and may lead to additional equity financing, alongside job cuts affecting dozens of employees.
Since its 2023 listing in Tokyo, ispace has struggled with financial losses and declining share value, following two failed attempts to land on the Moon. The company had approximately 300 employees across Japan, the United States and Luxembourg as of last year.
Its third mission is currently scheduled for 2028 under Japan’s commercial space programme, featuring the “Ultra” lunar lander designed to carry payloads of up to 200 kilograms to the lunar surface.
So far, only two private US companies Intuitive Machines and Firefly Aerospace have successfully achieved Moon landings.
NASA recently outlined updates to its Artemis program, including plans for up to 30 uncrewed lunar missions beginning next year, underscoring the accelerating pace of competition in lunar exploration.
“While it’s true that we are moving against NASA’s push to accelerate moon missions in 2028-29 as the only private company outside the U.S. with moon landing technology, we are seeking a greater role in their program,” Nozaki said.
However, shifts in US space policy under Donald Trump have created uncertainty for Japanese space ventures, many of which had anticipated deeper cooperation between the two countries to counter China’s growing ambitions in space.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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