MAGPIE (Mission for Advanced Geophysics and Polar Ice Exploration) rover
ESA-funded lunar rover mission, with ispace-EUROPE as mission prime, to investigate water ice, other volatiles and regolith properties near the lunar south pole using an instrumented drill with volatile analyzer, a neutron spectrometer and ground-penetrating radar; launch is planned for 2029 on ispace Mission 4. ESA awarded the EUR 65 million Phase 2 contract in July 2026.
Objective. Characterise the distribution and stability of water ice and other volatiles and map hydrogen in the lunar south polar region to assess their resource potential.
Facts
- Kind
- Payload
- Mission type
- Prospecting
- Target
- Moonlunar south polar region
- Launch
- Planned 2029 (target)Announcement date not recorded. Record checked 2026-09-25.
- Phase
- In developmentPhase 2 (full mission development) began 2026-07-01 under a EUR 65 million ESA contract announced 2026-07-24; signing ceremony 2026-09-01.
- Outcome
- Not applicable
- Why it is included
- Stated resource objective
Participants
Operators, payload owners, carriers and customers are recorded separately.
| Organization | Role |
|---|---|
| ispace EUROPE S.A. | Operator |
| ispace EUROPE S.A. | Payload builder |
| European Space Agency | Customer |
| European Space Agency | Funder |
| ispace, inc. | Carrier |
Resources and evidence
| Resource | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Water ice | Targeted |
| Volatiles | Targeted |
Dated events
- 2026-07-24
ESA MAGPIE Phase 2 contract to ispace-EUROPE (EUR 65 million)
ispace-EUROPE announced that ESA awarded it the EUR 65 million Phase 2 contract covering MAGPIE rover and payload development, transport to the lunar surface and surface operations, with ispace-EUROPE as mission prime; the signing was marked at ESA's Space for Inspiration event on 2026-09-01.
Sources (4) and evidence gaps
The contract, valued at €65 million, funds the full remaining delivery of the MAGPIE mission, including rover and payload development, manufacture, testing, transportation to the lunar surface and lunar surface operations.
ESA has agreed to funding the development and flight of MAGPIE, Europe's first lunar polar ice exploration rover, led by ispace-EUROPE
It follows ESA's July 2026 award of the €65 million Phase 2 contract to ispace-EUROPE.
ispace-EUROPE has been awarded a €65 million contract by the European Space Agency (ESA) to lead the development and execution of the MAGPIE mission.
- ESA's own page (esa.int) returned HTTP 403; basis kept as announced rather than official_award.
- 2025-06-03
ESA MAGPIE pre-Phase A and Phase 1 contracts to ispace-EUROPE (EUR 2.695 million aggregate)
ispace-EUROPE announced a Phase 1 extension of its ESA pre-Phase A contract (awarded 2024-12-12) for the MAGPIE polar-ice rover mission; the two phases total EUR 2,695,000.
Company announcement. No counterparty or government record found.
Sources (1) and evidence gaps
ispace's MAGPIE concept was selected and awarded a pre-phase A contract on Dec. 12, 2024. Under the Phase 1 extension agreement, ispace-EUROPE will collaborate with ESA on the implementation of the lunar exploration mission. In aggregate, the value of the contracts for the two phases is €2,695,000
- ESA-side contract record not retrieved.
Open evidence gaps
- ESA's own MAGPIE article (esa.int, 'ESA's first lunar rover rolls forward') returned HTTP 403 to raw fetch and WebFetch; ESA-side wording not quote-checked.
Sources
7 sourcesThe contract, valued at €65 million, funds the full remaining delivery of the MAGPIE mission, including rover and payload development, manufacture, testing, transportation to the lunar surface and lunar surface operations.
MAGPIE is scheduled to fly aboard ispace's Mission 4 lunar lander in 2029.
ESA has agreed to funding the development and flight of MAGPIE, Europe's first lunar polar ice exploration rover, led by ispace-EUROPE
will investigate the Moon's south polar region - focusing on the distribution and stability of water ice and other lunar volatiles, as well as the properties of the regolith.
The mission will travel to the Moon's south polar region to investigate the presence of water ice, map the distribution of hydrogen, and study the geological history of this unique environment.
The Open University, United Kingdom - providing an Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer Volatile Analyzer
ispace's MAGPIE concept was selected and awarded a pre-phase A contract on Dec. 12, 2024. Under the Phase 1 extension agreement, ispace-EUROPE will collaborate with ESA on the implementation of the lunar exploration mission. In aggregate, the value of the contracts for the two phases is €2,695,000