SpaceMiningData
PayloadMoonIn development

Magna Petra HALO (Helium Availability of Lunar Origin) reconnaissance payload

Planned rover-borne measurement of lunar volatiles, including helium-3, with a NASA-developed MSOLO mass spectrometer that ispace-EUROPE contracted (Oct 2025, USD 22 million) to integrate on its micro-rover for Magna Petra. Not flown; its host mission is uncertain after ispace re-planned its missions in March 2026.

Objective. Measure low-molecular-weight volatiles in lunar regolith from a rover in order to infer the presence and concentration of helium-3.

Targeted

Facts

Kind
Payload
Mission type
Prospecting
Target
Moon
Launch
Not recorded
Phase
In developmentPayload service agreement executed Oct 2025 (ispace and Magna Petra releases; ispace results briefing). As announced it would fly on the 'Mission 3' rover aboard ispace-U.S.'s APEX 1.0 lander. On 2026-03-27 ispace merged APEX 1.0 into a new ULTRA lander, renumbered the former ispace-U.S. Mission 3 as Mission 5 (proposed 2030) and said transport contracts with other Mission 3 customers must be amended; ispace's current Mission 3 page (ULTRA, 2028) lists an ispace-EU 'M3P Rover' but does not mention MSOLO or Magna Petra. Launch year therefore left null.
Outcome
Not applicable
Why it is included
Stated resource objective

Participants

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

OrganizationRole
Magna Petra Corp.Customer
Magna Petra Corp.Payload owner
ispace EUROPE S.A.Operator
ispace technologies U.S., inc.Carrier
National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationPayload builder

Resources and evidence

ResourceEvidence
Helium-3Targeted
VolatilesTargeted

Dated events

  1. 2025-10-06

    ispace-EUROPE - Magna Petra payload service agreement for NASA MSOLO (USD 22 million)

    Contractispace EUROPE S.A., Magna Petra Corp.With Magna Petra HALO (Helium Availability of Lunar Origin) reconnaissance payload, ispace, inc., ispace technologies U.S., inc., National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationUSD 22,000,000 (company announcement)

    ispace-EUROPE announced a USD 22 million payload service agreement with Magna Petra to integrate NASA's MSOLO mass spectrometer on an ispace-EUROPE micro-rover for Magna Petra's HALO helium-3 reconnaissance mission; the release placed the rover on ispace-U.S.'s APEX 1.0 lander (then 'Mission 3').

    Company announcement. No counterparty or government record found.

    Sources (5) and evidence gaps
    1. [1]ispace and Magna Petra Corp. sign Payload Service Agreement to deliver NASA's MSOLO instrument to the Moon
      ispace EUROPE S.A.Company statementPublished 2025-10-06Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: amount, date
      ispace-EUROPE and Magna Petra Corp. sign total amount of $22 million USD Payload Service Agreement (PSA) to carry NASA's MSOLO instrument to the lunar surface on the Mission 3 rover.
      Quote matched the source text when accessed.
    2. [2]ispace and Magna Petra Corp. sign Payload Service Agreement to deliver NASA's MSOLO instrument to the Moon
      ispace EUROPE S.A.Company statementPublished 2025-10-06Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: resources
      ispace-EUROPE will integrate a NASA-developed Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations (MSOLO) instrument into its upcoming Mission 3 lunar micro-rover platform as part of Magna Petra's Helium Availability of Lunar Origin (HALO) reconnaissance mission.
      Quote matched the source text when accessed.
    3. [3]ispace and Magna Petra Corp. sign Payload Service Agreement to deliver NASA's MSOLO instrument to the Moon
      ispace EUROPE S.A.Company statementPublished 2025-10-06Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: related ids
      The Mission 3 rover will fly on ispace technologies U.S.' (ispace-U.S.) APEX 1.0. lunar lander
      Quote matched the source text when accessed.
    4. [4]Transcript of Financial Results Briefing for Q2 of Fiscal Year Ending March 2026
      ispace, inc.Company statementPublished 2025-11-17Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: summary
      This brings the total contract value for Mission 3 to $86 million USD, up from $64 million USD.
      Quote matched the source text when accessed.
    5. [5]Magna Petra Corp. and ispace-EUROPE Sign $22M Payload Service Agreement to Deliver NASA's MSOLO Instrument to the Lunar Surface
      Magna Petra Corp.Company statementPublished 2025-10Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: amount
      today announced the execution of a $22 million Payload Service Agreement (PSA) with ispace-EUROPE S.A.
      Quote matched the source text when accessed.
    • Which ispace mission now carries the MSOLO rover after the March 2026 renumbering and the July 2026 CP-12 termination is not stated.
    • TSE timely-disclosure PDF not retrieved; payment terms and the effect of the March 2026 mission re-plan on this contract not disclosed.
  2. 2025-04-02

    NASA Kennedy-Magna Petra Cooperative Research and Development Agreement for MSOLO

    AgreementMagna Petra Corp.With National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Magna Petra HALO (Helium Availability of Lunar Origin) reconnaissance payload

    NASA reported that it signed a reimbursable Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Magna Petra on April 2 (2025) under which a second MSOLO mass spectrometer is to fly on a commercial rover selected by Magna Petra, with Magna Petra reimbursing NASA's integration and operations costs.

    Sources (2) and evidence gaps
    1. [1]NASA Moon Observing Instrument to Get Another Shot at Lunar Ops
      NASAGovernment recordPublished 2025-04-28Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: date, event type
      Signed on April 2, the reimbursable agreement is the first of its kind established at NASA Kennedy.
      Quote matched the source text when accessed.
    2. [2]NASA Moon Observing Instrument to Get Another Shot at Lunar Ops
      NASAGovernment recordPublished 2025-04-28Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: summary
      Under the agreement, Magna Petra will reimburse NASA for costs such as supporting MSOLO integration and testing with the rover
      Quote matched the source text when accessed.
    • Agreement value not disclosed; year of the 'April 2' signing inferred from the article date (2025-04-28).

Open evidence gaps

  • Which ispace flight (current Mission 3 ULTRA 2028, or Mission 5, formerly ispace-U.S. Mission 3, proposed 2030) now carries the rover with MSOLO has not been stated by ispace or Magna Petra.
  • No landing site published for HALO.
  • Magna Petra's release is dated 'October 7th 2025' in its text while ispace's release is dated October 6, 2025.

Record history

changes to this record's facts, newest first

ChangedFieldWasNowReasonSource
2026-03-27launch date2027 (ispace Mission 3)unknown: former ispace-U.S. Mission 3 renumbered Mission 5, proposed 2030; transport contracts to be amendedSchedule slip[6]
2025-11-17launch dateno earlier than 2026 (NASA)2027 (ispace Mission 3)Schedule slip[5]

Sources

8 sources
  1. [1]ispace and Magna Petra Corp. sign Payload Service Agreement to deliver NASA's MSOLO instrument to the Moon
    ispace, inc.Company statementPublished 2025-10-06Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: participants, phase, mission unit
    ispace-EUROPE and Magna Petra Corp. sign total amount of $22 million USD Payload Service Agreement (PSA) to carry NASA's MSOLO instrument to the lunar surface on the Mission 3 rover.
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  2. [2]ispace and Magna Petra Corp. sign Payload Service Agreement to deliver NASA's MSOLO instrument to the Moon
    ispace, inc.Company statementPublished 2025-10-06Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: participants, host mission id
    The Mission 3 rover will fly on ispace technologies U.S.' (ispace-U.S.) APEX 1.0. lunar lander
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  3. [3]NASA Moon Observing Instrument to Get Another Shot at Lunar Ops
    NASAGovernment recordPublished 2025-04-28Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: launch date, objective
    Under the new agreement, a second MSOLO, mounted on a commercial rover, will launch to the Moon no earlier than 2026.
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  4. [4]NASA Moon Observing Instrument to Get Another Shot at Lunar Ops
    NASAGovernment recordPublished 2025-04-28Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: objective, resources
    it will measure low molecular weight volatiles in hopes of inferring the presence of rare isotopes, such as Helium-3
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  5. [5]Transcript of Financial Results Briefing for Q2 of Fiscal Year Ending March 2026
    ispace, inc.Company statementPublished 2025-11-17Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: launch date, history
    will be allocated to Mission 3, scheduled for launch in 2027
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  6. [6]ispace Announces New "ULTRA" Lunar Lander Integrating Japanese and U.S. Lander Models
    ispace, inc.Company statementPublished 2026-03-27Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: phase, launch date, status basis
    Amendments to the transport contracts with other Mission 3 customers are necessary and will also be revised and updated.
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  7. [7]ispace Announces New "ULTRA" Lunar Lander Integrating Japanese and U.S. Lander Models
    ispace, inc.Company statementPublished 2026-03-27Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: launch date, history
    ispace-U.S. has updated its first U.S. mission to 2030
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  8. [8]Mission 3 ULTRA
    ispace, inc.Company statementAccessed 2026-09-25Supports: host mission id, status basis
    It will first be used for Mission 3, currently planned to launch in 2028.
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.