New partnership targets seamless lunar refueling and docking to boost long term Moon missions

New partnership targets seamless lunar refueling and docking to boost long term Moon missions
by Riko Seibo
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Oct 27, 2025

ispace inc and OrbitAID Aerospace Private Limited have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on sustainable lunar exploration. The agreement, announced during IAC2025 in Sydney, focuses on developing technology for seamless docking and refueling during lunar missions.

OrbitAID will integrate its Standardized Interface for Docking and Refueling Payload (SIDRP) with ispace's lunar landers, aiming to demonstrate this capability on future missions. This integration is expected to support mission extension in the cislunar environment and enable more durable lunar operations.

The collaboration seeks to optimize refueling, recharging, and data transmission for lunar landers and to support deep space exploration beyond Earth's orbit. It reflects growing space cooperation between India and Japan, referencing joint participation in the upcoming LUPEX mission with ISRO's Chandrayaan-5 and events such as the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit.

OrbitAID completed a zero-gravity test of its SIDRP interface in December 2024, confirming its space operation capability. OrbitAID has also planned its first in-space refueling demonstration mission, to launch later in 2025 on an Indian SSLV, marking India's first dedicated in-space refueling effort focused on orbital servicing and sustainability in space.

"We are pleased to announce this memorandum of understanding as a first step towards carrying OrbitAID's refueling payload and the SIDRP interface on future lunar missions. We believe working together will strengthen the growing Indo-Japanese collaboration in space exploration, underlining our shared vision for a sustainable and commercially viable lunar future," said Takeshi Hakamada, Founder and CEO of ispace.

"OrbitAID is excited to partner with ispace to investigate the next level of development for lunar exploration and the lunar economy. We envision that the SIDRP interface and refueling payloads can be a significant step toward building the infrastructure needed for sustainable space exploration. This collaboration highlights the power of international cooperation especially between India and Japan to advance space logistics and exploration," said Sakthikumar R, Founder and CEO of OrbitAID.