ispace Mission 4 (ULTRA lander; formerly Mission 6)

Kind

Spacecraft

Mission type

Prospecting

Target

Moonlunar south polar region (specific site not published)

Launch

Planned 2029 (target)

Announcement date not recorded. Record checked 2026-09-25.

Phase

In developmentispace mission page and 2026-03-30 statement give a 2029 launch; development began after the January 2026 Space Strategy Fund selection, and an 11.6 billion yen grant was awarded (announced 2026-08-07).

Outcome

Not applicable

Why it is included

Stated resource objective

Operators, payload owners, carriers and customers are recorded separately.

1. 2026-08-07

   Japan Space Strategy Fund grant to ispace for polar high-precision landing (Mission 4)

   Grantispace, inc.With ispace Mission 4 (ULTRA lander; formerly Mission 6), Japan Aerospace Exploration AgencyJPY 11,600,000,000 (company announcement)

   ispace announced an 11.6 billion yen grant (ceiling 20 billion yen, subject to stage-gate reviews) under Phase 2 of Japan's Space Strategy Fund, administered by JAXA, for high-precision landing near the lunar south pole on Mission 4; the project was selected on 2026-01-16.

   Company announcement. No counterparty or government record found.

   Sources (1) and evidence gaps

   1. [1]ispace Receives Grant for Japan's Space Strategy Fund Project "High-Precision Landing Technology in the Lunar Poles Region"
      ispace, inc.Company statementPublished 2026-08-07Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: amount

      Grant Amount: 11.6 billion yen The maximum grant amount remains 20 billion yen.

      Quote matched the source text when accessed.

   • JAXA-side award record not retrieved.
   • The January 2026 selection release called the project Mission 6; the August 2026 award release renumbered it as Mission 4.
2. 2026-07-24

   ESA MAGPIE Phase 2 contract to ispace-EUROPE (EUR 65 million)

   Contractispace EUROPE S.A.With MAGPIE (Mission for Advanced Geophysics and Polar Ice Exploration) rover, ispace Mission 4 (ULTRA lander; formerly Mission 6), European Space AgencyEUR 65,000,000 (company announcement)

   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

   1. [1]ESA Awards ispace-EUROPE Contract for Execution of MAGPIE, ESA's First Lunar Rover
      ispace EUROPE S.A.Company statementPublished 2026-07-24Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: amount

      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.

      Quote matched the source text when accessed.
   2. [2]ESA Awards ispace-EUROPE Contract for Execution of MAGPIE, ESA's First Lunar Rover
      ispace EUROPE S.A.Company statementPublished 2026-07-24Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: counterparty id

      ESA has agreed to funding the development and flight of MAGPIE, Europe's first lunar polar ice exploration rover, led by ispace-EUROPE

      Quote matched the source text when accessed.
   3. [3]ESA and ispace-EUROPE Mark Official Signing of Europe's First Lunar Polar Ice Exploration Rover Mission
      ispace EUROPE S.A.Company statementPublished 2026-09-02Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: amount, summary

      It follows ESA's July 2026 award of the €65 million Phase 2 contract to ispace-EUROPE.

      Quote matched the source text when accessed.
   4. [4]ispace-EUROPE Secures €65M ESA Contract for MAGPIE Lunar Rover
      Luxembourg Space AgencyGovernment recordPublished 2026Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: amount, participants, phase

      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.

      Quote matched the source text when accessed.

   • ESA's own page (esa.int) returned HTTP 403; basis kept as announced rather than official_award.
3. 2026-03-27

   ispace ULTRA lander integration and mission renumbering

   Schedule changeispace, inc., ispace technologies U.S., inc.With ispace Mission 4 (ULTRA lander; formerly Mission 6)

   ispace announced it would merge the APEX 1.0 and Series 3 designs into the ULTRA lander with a new engine, renumbering its missions: Mission 3 (formerly 4) planned for 2028, Mission 4 (formerly 6) for 2029, and the ispace-U.S. CP-12 mission becoming Mission 5 with a proposed 2030 launch pending NASA approval.

   Company announcement. No counterparty or government record found.

   Sources (3)

   1. [1]ispace Announces New "ULTRA" Lunar Lander Integrating Japanese and U.S. Lander Models
      ispace, inc.Company statementPublished 2026-03-27Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: summary

      The ULTRA lunar lander, which will include a new engine-a change from the previous vendor-will be used in each of ispace's next missions, resulting in a mission shift and schedule update for ispace-U.S.'s first mission, now expected in 2030.

      Quote matched the source text when accessed.
   2. [2]Statement Regarding Certain Reports in Domestic Media
      ispace, inc.Company statementPublished 2026-03-30Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: summary

      Mission 4: Lunar Lander launch, 2029 (formerly Mission 6)

      Quote matched the source text when accessed.
   3. [3]Statement Regarding Certain Reports in Domestic Media
      ispace, inc.Company statementPublished 2026-03-30Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: summary

      Mission 3: Lunar Lander launch, 2028 (formerly Mission 4) This mission is currently under development by ispace Japan funded through a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant

      Quote matched the source text when accessed.

• Launch vehicle for Mission 4 not announced.
• Landing site not published.

changes to this record's facts, newest first

1. [1]ispace Mission 4 (mission page)
   ispace, inc.Company statementAccessed 2026-09-25Supports: phase, launch date

   Mission 4 will be the second mission to feature ispace's new ULTRA lunar lander, a larger and more capable lander design. The mission is currently scheduled for 2029, and is planned to carry lunar surface and orbital payloads.

   Quote matched the source text when accessed.
2. [2]Statement Regarding Certain Reports in Domestic Media
   ispace, inc.Company statementPublished 2026-03-30Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: launch date, name

   Mission 4: Lunar Lander launch, 2029 (formerly Mission 6)

   Quote matched the source text when accessed.
3. [3]ispace Selected by Japan's Space Strategy Fund for "High Precision Landing Technology in Lunar Polar Regions"
   ispace, inc.Company statementPublished 2026-01-16Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: phase

   The technology will be implemented in ispace's Mission 6, with development now underway.

   Quote matched the source text when accessed.
4. [4]ispace Selected by Japan's Space Strategy Fund for "High Precision Landing Technology in Lunar Polar Regions"
   ispace, inc.Company statementPublished 2026-01-16Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: participants

   Funding Limit Up to 20 billion yen

   Quote matched the source text when accessed.
5. [5]ispace Receives Grant for Japan's Space Strategy Fund Project "High-Precision Landing Technology in the Lunar Poles Region"
   ispace, inc.Company statementPublished 2026-08-07Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: phase, participants

   Grant Amount: 11.6 billion yen The maximum grant amount remains 20 billion yen.

   Quote matched the source text when accessed.
6. [6]ESA Awards ispace-EUROPE Contract for Execution of MAGPIE, ESA's First Lunar Rover
   ispace EUROPE S.A.Company statementPublished 2026-07-24Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: objective, participants

   MAGPIE is scheduled to fly aboard ispace's Mission 4 lunar lander in 2029.

   Quote matched the source text when accessed.