Japanese moon transport company ispace announced on July 8, 2026, that it will start a new lower-cost lunar cargo business using the Starship heavy rocket and moon lander developed by Elon Musk's SpaceX. Based in Tokyo, ispace has purchased 500 kg (1102 lb) of payload capacity on a Starship mission planned to land on the Moon as soon as 2030. The company will build a lunar surface vehicle capable of hosting payloads from clients worldwide who share the ride on Starship to the Moon.
A model of ispace's lunar lander "Resilience" was displayed at a Tokyo venue where employees will monitor its landing on the Moon, as shown in a file photo from June 6, 2025.
This initiative marks a significant step for ispace in expanding commercial lunar transport services by leveraging SpaceX's Starship capabilities.
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