Japan is set to provide a subsidy of up to ¥12bn, equivalent to $80mn, to the lunar exploration startup known as ispace, as a component of a grant initiative supporting innovative ventures. This announcement was made by the Minister of Industry, Yasutoshi Nishimura, on October 20.
Ispace, headquartered in Tokyo, is actively planning to launch its second moon lander in the coming year and initiate a moonshot mission sponsored by NASA in 2026. This endeavor follows an unsuccessful lunar landing attempt in April of the current year.
The Japanese government's grant will be directed towards the development of a novel spacecraft, provisionally named "Series 3." This spacecraft is designed with the goal of transporting loads exceeding 100 kilograms to the moon's surface by the year 2027. Ispace disclosed this information in a corporate statement, noting that the grant's effects on the company's short-term earnings forecast would be negligible, as it pertains to a future mission. Ispace had previously projected a net loss of ¥4.5bn for the ongoing fiscal period, ending in March 2024.
In September, Japan achieved a significant milestone in its lunar exploration efforts by launching a spacecraft designed to land on the moon early next year. The mission, conducted by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), aims to position Japan as the fifth country in the world to successfully land on the moon.
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