ispace, a Japan-based space technology company focused on lunar transportation and exploration systems, is advancing commercial lunar mission capabilities through the HAKUTO-R Mission 2 program. The mission is designed to demonstrate lunar landing operations, surface mobility technologies and payload transportation infrastructure intended to support long-term lunar exploration and cislunar economic activity.
At the center of the mission is the RESILIENCE lunar lander, the company’s second-generation commercial lunar landing platform engineered to transport payloads to the lunar surface while supporting precision landing operations and surface mission activities. The lander is designed with a height of approximately 2.3 m, a width of 2.6 m, and a wet mass of approximately 1,000 kg. According to ispace, the platform incorporates upgraded operational software and mission improvements derived from flight data obtained during Mission 1.
The mission also includes the TENACIOUS micro rover, developed by ispace Europe in Luxembourg. The rover is designed for lunar surface exploration and mobility operations, enabling traversal across the lunar terrain while supporting data collection and surface investigation activities. The rover incorporates a lightweight architecture optimized for deployment from the RESILIENCE lander and operation in the lunar environment.
HAKUTO-R Mission 2 is designed to perform a soft lunar landing followed by rover deployment and surface operations. The mission profile includes transportation of customer payloads and technology demonstrations intended to support future lunar exploration initiatives. The payload manifest includes scientific experiments, technology demonstration payloads and cultural payloads integrated into the mission architecture.
A major technical focus of the mission is the validation of commercial lunar transportation infrastructure, including lunar landing systems, autonomous guidance and navigation technologies, rover deployment operations, and surface mobility capabilities. The mission is intended to support the development of scalable commercial services for lunar exploration and payload delivery. The mission also supports ispace’s broader lunar exploration roadmap, which includes future cargo transportation, lunar resource utilization initiatives, and sustained lunar surface operations through commercial mission architectures.
About ispace
ispace is a Japan-based space technology company headquartered in Tokyo focused on developing commercial lunar transportation and exploration systems. The company specializes in lunar landers, micro rovers and payload delivery services designed to support scientific, commercial, and government missions to the Moon. Through the HAKUTO-R program, ispace is developing technologies for lunar landing, autonomous navigation, rover deployment and surface exploration to support long-term lunar exploration and cislunar economic activity. The company operates internationally through offices in Japan, Luxembourg and the United States, supporting the development of commercial lunar infrastructure and sustainable lunar operations.
