ispace signs spacecraft propulsion MoU with Nammo

ispace announced on 2026-11-12 that it signed a memorandum of understanding with Nammo (U.K.) Limited. The agreement creates a framework for long-term commercial cooperation around spacecraft propulsion procurement, manufacturing and related business opportunities.

The memorandum was announced on 2026-11-12 and signed with Nammo (U.K.) Limited. It covers long-term strategic cooperation involving propulsion procurement, manufacturing and related commercial opportunities, establishing a framework for long-term commercial cooperation.

The agreement contemplates bulk purchasing arrangements, procurement frameworks and coordinated production planning. Its signatories include ispace-EUROPE S.A. and ispace technologies U.S., inc., and it is meant to support spacecraft programs in Japan, Europe, the U.S. and other international markets.

The M3 ULTRA lander is specified with Nammo main thrusters. ULTRA landers are described as using main engine hardware from Nammo's LEROS 4 and LEROS 2b, with propulsion engines larger than those on typical large satellites but smaller than standard launch vehicles. The facts link this hardware to enhanced system reliability and mission success probability.

The facts describe propulsion engines as long-lead-time components. Nammo is identified as a maker of propulsion engines for Earth-orbiting and exploration missions, and ispace has already procured attitude control thruster hardware from the company. The announcement also refers to a long-term partnership between ispace and Nammo.

Argonaut is a lunar lander currently under development by ESA, with its main engine designed and supplied by Nammo. The facts also state that LEROS 4 was used in a recent lunar landing mission and delivered dependable performance.

ispace says the agreement advances its lunar transportation capabilities and is intended to widen future commercial opportunities while supporting steady revenue growth. The announcement identifies Takeshi Hakamada as founder and chief executive of ispace, inc., describes the company as a global lunar exploration firm and notes its listing on TOKYO: 9348. It also says ispace's lunar missions enable high-frequency and flexible execution.

The agreement connects ispace's ULTRA lander plans to a propulsion supplier already tied to ESA's Argonaut lander and recent lunar landing hardware. That links commercial lander development with an engine maker whose products appear in both ispace and ESA lunar contexts.

The MoU focuses on procurement, manufacturing and coordinated production planning for propulsion, which the facts describe as long-lead-time components. This matters because the facts say ispace's missions enable high-frequency and flexible execution, and the agreement is framed as advancing lunar transportation capabilities.

The announcement follows two October agreements reported by this site: ispace's MOU with ArianeGroup on lunar spacecraft cooperation and a separate MOU with Leonardo and Telespazio on lunar cooperation.

In September, the site reported that Argo and ispace U.S. agreed to launch an Alpine lunar relay by 2027. Under that deal, the water-powered Argonaut vehicle is to deliver the first satellite of ispace's Lunar Connect constellation as part of Mission 2.5.