Japanese aerospace company ispace has announced a large-scale update to its Moon program. As the key project, the company plans to deploy a multifunctional probe system called Lunar Connect in lunar orbit. The new system is aimed at solving the main tasks of future missions: providing stable communications, precise navigation and continuous monitoring of the lunar surface.
According to the company's plans, by 2030 the Lunar Connect constellation will consist of five satellites. The system's services will be available to both national space agencies and private companies. This is especially important for missions operating on the far side of the Moon, where direct communication with Earth is impossible. Special relay satellites Alpine and Lupine are being developed for this purpose.
The first test flight to demonstrate the technologies is scheduled for 2027. According to ispace forecasts, by 2040 the lunar communications and observation market could exceed 3 billion US dollars. This growth will be linked to plans by NASA and other organizations to build habitable bases on the Moon.
Other players are also working in this area: Intuitive Machines cooperates with NASA, while Telespazio is developing similar solutions for the European Space Agency (ESA).
Alongside the satellite program, ispace has also revised the flight schedule of its landing modules. The flight of the new module being developed by the company's American division has been postponed from 2027 to 2030 due to a change in engine supplier. The company's nearest missions are currently scheduled for 2028 and 2029 with the support of the Japanese government.
As a reminder, the company's previous attempts to land equipment on the Moon in 2023 and 2025 failed due to software glitches. Now the company is focusing on building reliable infrastructure that will serve as the foundation for future lunar expeditions.
