mu Space and ispace forge partnership for Lunar exploration and satellite services

mu Space and ispace forge partnership for Lunar exploration and satellite services
by Riko Seibo
Bangkok, Thailand (SPX) Feb 05, 2024

In a significant step forward for lunar exploration and satellite services, mu Space and Advanced Technology Co., Ltd. (mu Space), a leading aerospace manufacturer and satellite internet service provider in Southeast Asia, has entered into a strategic partnership with ispace inc., a pioneering private lunar robotic exploration company based in Japan. The two entities have signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) that lay the groundwork for collaboration on future lunar missions and the development of the cislunar satellite market.

The MoUs between mu Space and ispace cover negotiations for payload services to lunar orbit and the lunar surface. They also entail collaborative efforts in developing the market for lunar satellite payloads, aiming to provide transportation and deployment services for these payloads while supplying the necessary satellite components.

This partnership aims to expand the reach and capabilities of both companies in the lunar satellite services sector, targeting joint market development efforts in Japan and Thailand. The focus will be on accelerating lunar orbiting satellite missions, including small satellite payloads and lunar lander payloads, with a capacity of up to 100 kg.

mu Space, headquartered in Bangkok, has been at the forefront of Southeast Asia's aerospace industry, with a track record of four successful sub-orbital missions from 2018 through 2020. The company has plans to supply satellites and equipment for missions scheduled from 2024 onward.

On the other hand, ispace, headquartered in Tokyo, has made history by becoming the world's first lunar transportation service provider to successfully launch a lunar lander in December 2022. With missions lined up for 2024, 2026, and 2027, ispace is firmly positioned as a leader in lunar exploration.

James Yenbamroong, CEO and CTO of mu Space, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, "This marks our first lunar mission, demonstrating our vision and commitment to achieving a lunar presence by 2028. In collaboration with ispace, we are set to prove key technologies and build the foundation for future lunar endeavors. This partnership is also a testament to elevating space technology in Asia."

Echoing the sentiments of collaboration and future potential, Takeshi Hakamada, Founder and CEO of ispace, highlighted the importance of this agreement: "Utilizing highly maneuverable lunar satellites for communications networks, scientific research, and a host of other applications is essential to a long-term human presence on the Moon. The agreements with mu Space will forge new markets in Southeast Asia and around the globe for lunar satellite missions as the building blocks of the cislunar economy. It is another step in realizing ispace's vision of 'Expand our planet. Expand our future.'"