Japanese Startup to Launch Lunar Lander on Domestic Rocket

Tokyo, July 29 (Jiji Press)--Japanese space startup ispace Inc. said Wednesday it will use Japan's H3 rocket for the launch of a lunar lander scheduled for 2028, marking the company's first mission using a domestically developed rocket.

The company signed a contract for launch and transportation services for its new lander, Ultra, with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., which developed the H3 rocket with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA.

The two companies said in a joint statement that they will continue efforts to "promote the formation of a full-scale lunar transportation system that unites Japanese domestic industries."

Previously, ispace launched two lunar landers on Falcon 9 rockets of U.S. spacecraft manufacturer SpaceX, but both missions failed to achieve successful landings.

Speaking at a press conference in Tokyo, ispace founder and CEO Takeshi Hakamada said a lunar landing achieved with Japanese technology is "highly meaningful for national security." He added that such initiatives would help propel Japan's space industry to "the next stage."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]