ispace and ArianeGroup sign MOU on lunar spacecraft cooperation
- ispace and ArianeGroup signed a memorandum of understanding on lunar spacecraft cooperation.
- The memorandum was signed in Antalya, Türkiye, and announced on October 6, 2026.
- The planned payload for ULTRA lunar landers includes ArianeGroup pulsing thrusters and RCS thruster hardware.
- ArianeGroup is contracted to provide assembly, integration, and testing services.
- ispace-EUROPE and ArianeGroup were jointly selected by ESA for a pilot phase.
What happened
ispace and ArianeGroup signed a memorandum of understanding, announced on 2026-10-06. The memorandum sets out a structure for considering wider cooperation on existing and future lunar spacecraft and missions.
What we know
The announcement is dated 2026-10-06, and the memorandum was signed in Antalya, Türkiye. ispace-EUROPE and ispace-U.S. joined the agreement as co-signatories.
The planned payload for ULTRA lunar landers includes ArianeGroup pulsing thrusters and reaction control system (RCS) thruster hardware.
ArianeGroup is contracted to provide assembly, integration, and testing (AIT) services.
Earlier joint work covered propulsion parts and AIT for Mission 1 at ArianeGroup's Lampoldshausen site.
ispace-EUROPE and ArianeGroup were jointly selected by ESA to take part in a pilot phase.
The companies are assessing long-term commercial terms intended to support steady lander production and a targeted launch cadence.
Why it matters
The announcement lists specific hardware for ULTRA lunar landers and an AIT contract with ArianeGroup, giving concrete industrial elements rather than only a general framework.
The parties are also looking at long-term commercial terms for steady lander production and a targeted launch cadence, which are central operational issues for lunar payload customers.
Sources
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