ispace Pronounces Series 3 Lander Achieves Vital Testing Milestone for Mission 4

2 Oct, 2025

Japan-Developed Structural Thermal Model Completes TVAC Testing

Tokyo–October 2, 2025–Today, ispace, inc. (ispace) (TOKYO: 9348), introduced that its next-generation Series 3 lunar lander mannequin, funded via a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), achieved a big milestone by passing a sequence of checks designed to evaluate its structural integrity and talent to resist excessive circumstances in area. The completion of this testing regime confirms that growth is progressing steadily in the direction of the deliberate launch of Mission 4.

Engineers from ispace’s Assembly, Integration & Testing group oversee removing of the Series 3 Lunar Lander Structural Thermal Model from the Thermal Vacuum Testing chamber at a JAXA facility in Tsukuba, Japan.

Beginning in April 2025, the structural thermal mannequin of the Series 3 lander, ispace’s lunar lander being designed and manufactured by its Japan subsidiary, started environmental testing together with Thermal Vacuum testing on the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Tsukuba Space Center.

The checks are designed to place spacecraft below circumstances that may simulate environments confronted in area and deployment from a launch car together with intense vibrations and excessive temperature circumstances, each warmth and chilly. The testing included three forms of environmental checks—vibration, acoustic, and thermal vacuum testing, using gear below JAXA’s “Project for Expanding the Operation and Utilization of Environmental Test Facilities.”

The checks verified the lunar lander’s tolerance towards the extraordinary vibrations skilled throughout launch and the acute temperature atmosphere, roughly 130°C in daylight and -140°C in shadows, in addition to evaluated its thermal traits in a vacuum state. These environmental checks signify an important step towards creating the flight mannequin of the lunar lander for the following growth part. The profitable completion demonstrates ispace engineers’ skill to shortly adapt earlier classes realized into future missions to boost success.

The structural thermal mannequin (STM) of the Series 3 lunar lander, surrounded by thermal vacuum take a look at heaters, being transported into a big 13-meter diameter chamber at JAXA services in Tsukuba, Japan.

ispace was chosen in October 2023 by Japan’s METI to obtain as much as 12 billion yen for the “Development and Operational Demonstration of a Lunar Lander.” The tentatively named Series 3 lunar lander can have bigger specs than the RESILIENCE Lander operated in Mission 2. It is predicted to have a most capability of a number of hundred kilograms of payload that may be delivered to the Moon’s floor. It will measure roughly 3.6m in top, 3.3m in width, and weigh about 1,000 kilograms (dry weight).

The first Series 3 lunar lander shall be used for ispace’s Mission 4, which is at present scheduled to launch in 2028, following the launch of Mission 3 scheduled for 2027. ispace had initially agreed with the METI and the SBIR Secretariat that the launch could be in 2027. As of October 2025, ispace’s inner growth plan at present anticipates a launch in 2028. The change is at present being mentioned with the related authorities ministries and businesses and the SBIR Secretariat. The plan change shall be formally authorised after receiving approval from the METI.

The outcomes of this environmental take a look at shall be included into the following growth part and an in depth structural design. The Structural Model (SM) will bear additional validation to certify the structural design main as much as the launch. ispace is steadily advancing growth towards a flight mannequin for steady operations in area and the touchdown and supreme success of Mission 4.

 

Statement of Takeshi Hakamada, Founder & CEO of ispace, inc.

“Today we are pleased to announce completion of environmental testing, which marks another step forward in our effort to realize the ispace vision of ‘Expand our planet. Expand our future.’,” mentioned Takeshi Hakamada, Founder & CEO of ispace. “The Series 3 lander is built for commercial missions. It will be capable of transporting more complex and larger payloads, accelerating global activities on the Moon. Guided by our belief ‘Never Quit the Lunar Quest’ we will continue to strive for success in our next mission.”

 

Statement of Ryo Ujiie, CTO of ispace, inc.

“We are very pleased to announce the successful completion of environmental testing for the structural thermal model of the Series 3 lunar lander,” mentioned Ryo Ujiie, CTO of ispace. “Leveraging the valuable data obtained from Missions 1 and 2, along with ispace’s accumulated expertise, development is now progressing steadily. This new, larger lander represents an evolution to surpass past technical challenges and symbolizes ispace’s ongoing pursuit of mission success.”

 

About ispace, inc. (https://ispace-inc.com)

ispace, a world lunar useful resource growth firm with the imaginative and prescient, “Expand our planet. Expand our future.”, focuses on designing and constructing lunar landers and rovers. ispace goals to increase the sphere of human life into area and create a sustainable world by offering high-frequency, low-cost transportation providers to the Moon. The firm has enterprise entities in Japan, Luxembourg, and the United States with greater than 300 workers worldwide. For extra data, go to: www.ispace-inc.com and observe us on X: @ispace_inc.