ispace and Shimizu Corporation Sign Basic Agreement to Study Infrastructure Architecture Construction in Cislunar Space
ispace and Shimizu Corporation have signed an MOU to jointly study the construction of infrastructure architecture in cislunar space. The companies will focus on the conceptualization of a lunar data center to support autonomous construction and operations on the moon.
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- 📰 Published: April 15, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 15, 2026 at 10:31
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ispace, inc. (Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Takeshi Hakamada; hereinafter 'ispace') (Securities code: 9348) and Shimizu Corporation (Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Tatsuya Niimura; hereinafter 'Shimizu Corporation') have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding the planning and study for the construction of infrastructure architecture in cislunar space (the region near the Moon).
Recently, as activities such as lunar exploration, resource utilization, and base development go into full swing, the construction of lunar infrastructure to support these activities has become an urgent and important issue. Particularly, in the development of infrastructure under the lunar environment, autonomous construction and operation*1 that do not rely on human labor are required. Therefore, the development of functions such as communications, edge computing, and data management is essential.
*1: Construction machinery, etc., making autonomous judgments and processing without human instructions.
In light of this situation, under this agreement, the two companies will begin a joint study of plans for building future cislunar architecture, focusing primarily on the study of constructing a lunar data center. Specifically, they will organize the basic concept of infrastructure in cislunar space and a phased realization roadmap, study basic concepts such as construction locations, facility configuration, construction methods, power/thermal management, and communications, as well as consider approaches to future demonstration, commercialization, and public-private partnerships. Based on these studies, they also plan to proceed with cooperation and coordination with relevant public and private organizations.
Shimizu Corporation is advancing research and development to provide habitation infrastructure, looking ahead to an era when people live on the moon. As part of the Stardust Program, a space development and utilization acceleration strategy program promoted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Shimizu has participated in the 'Space Unmanned Construction Innovation Technology Development' project. They have engaged in technical studies anticipating future lunar base construction through themes such as the 'Development of Environmental Recognition Foundation System for Autonomous Construction and Demonstration of Autonomous Construction'*2 and the 'Construction of a Ground Demonstration Model for a Lunar Inflatable Habitation Module'*2. To overcome constraints such as lunar environmental conditions and working hours, construction technology where machinery operates autonomously, and architectural technology to transport folded modules to the moon and deploy them locally to create space, are crucial. Through their R&D to date, they have been advancing the study of foundational technologies for lunar infrastructure construction.
*2 Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism press release: https://www.mlit.go.jp/report/press/content/001885919.pdf
ispace aims to create a new economic sphere between the Earth and the Moon by providing lunar transportation services and lunar data services. In addition to conducting missions using their in-house developed lunar lander, they are also working on building a data utilization foundation to support lunar exploration, resource utilization, and base development. Moving forward, by collaborating on the study of constructing a lunar data center, the two companies will contribute to materializing the cislunar architecture that will support future lunar activities.
■ Comment from Takeshi Hakamada, Representative Director, CEO & Founder of ispace, inc.
'As international efforts toward lunar development accelerate, the importance of functions such as communications, data processing, and data management is growing increasingly significant. I am extremely pleased to have signed this basic agreement regarding the study of infrastructure architecture concepts in cislunar space with Shimizu Corporation, which possesses world-leading technology and a proven track record in the construction sector.
To realize autonomous construction and operations on the moon without relying on human labor, local computational processing power and data linkage between individual construction machines are indispensable. I believe the concept of a lunar data center will be one of the core elements supporting such future lunar infrastructure. Moving forward, we will collaborate with relevant public and private organizations to advance our studies toward realizing a sustainable cislunar economic sphere.'
■ Comment from Shigeru Shimose, General Manager of Space Development Department, Frontier Development Division, Shimizu Corporation
'Unlike the microgravity environment in orbit where the conventional International Space Station is located, lunar infrastructure construction will primarily involve working on the ground in a low-gravity environment about one-sixth that of Earth. Therefore, we believe this is a field where we can lead the world by leveraging our cultivated unmanned and labor-saving technologies, as well as our experience in on-site manufacturing.
ispace is an important partner responsible for logistics in future lunar construction. Since our company invested in ispace in 2017, we have held various discussions between us. I am delighted that we are fully prepared and have now signed this basic agreement regarding the study of infrastructure architecture concepts in cislunar space with ispace. Moving forward, we will jointly explore new possibilities on the moon.'
Recently, as activities such as lunar exploration, resource utilization, and base development go into full swing, the construction of lunar infrastructure to support these activities has become an urgent and important issue. Particularly, in the development of infrastructure under the lunar environment, autonomous construction and operation*1 that do not rely on human labor are required. Therefore, the development of functions such as communications, edge computing, and data management is essential.
*1: Construction machinery, etc., making autonomous judgments and processing without human instructions.
In light of this situation, under this agreement, the two companies will begin a joint study of plans for building future cislunar architecture, focusing primarily on the study of constructing a lunar data center. Specifically, they will organize the basic concept of infrastructure in cislunar space and a phased realization roadmap, study basic concepts such as construction locations, facility configuration, construction methods, power/thermal management, and communications, as well as consider approaches to future demonstration, commercialization, and public-private partnerships. Based on these studies, they also plan to proceed with cooperation and coordination with relevant public and private organizations.
Shimizu Corporation is advancing research and development to provide habitation infrastructure, looking ahead to an era when people live on the moon. As part of the Stardust Program, a space development and utilization acceleration strategy program promoted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Shimizu has participated in the 'Space Unmanned Construction Innovation Technology Development' project. They have engaged in technical studies anticipating future lunar base construction through themes such as the 'Development of Environmental Recognition Foundation System for Autonomous Construction and Demonstration of Autonomous Construction'*2 and the 'Construction of a Ground Demonstration Model for a Lunar Inflatable Habitation Module'*2. To overcome constraints such as lunar environmental conditions and working hours, construction technology where machinery operates autonomously, and architectural technology to transport folded modules to the moon and deploy them locally to create space, are crucial. Through their R&D to date, they have been advancing the study of foundational technologies for lunar infrastructure construction.
*2 Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism press release: https://www.mlit.go.jp/report/press/content/001885919.pdf
ispace aims to create a new economic sphere between the Earth and the Moon by providing lunar transportation services and lunar data services. In addition to conducting missions using their in-house developed lunar lander, they are also working on building a data utilization foundation to support lunar exploration, resource utilization, and base development. Moving forward, by collaborating on the study of constructing a lunar data center, the two companies will contribute to materializing the cislunar architecture that will support future lunar activities.
■ Comment from Takeshi Hakamada, Representative Director, CEO & Founder of ispace, inc.
'As international efforts toward lunar development accelerate, the importance of functions such as communications, data processing, and data management is growing increasingly significant. I am extremely pleased to have signed this basic agreement regarding the study of infrastructure architecture concepts in cislunar space with Shimizu Corporation, which possesses world-leading technology and a proven track record in the construction sector.
To realize autonomous construction and operations on the moon without relying on human labor, local computational processing power and data linkage between individual construction machines are indispensable. I believe the concept of a lunar data center will be one of the core elements supporting such future lunar infrastructure. Moving forward, we will collaborate with relevant public and private organizations to advance our studies toward realizing a sustainable cislunar economic sphere.'
■ Comment from Shigeru Shimose, General Manager of Space Development Department, Frontier Development Division, Shimizu Corporation
'Unlike the microgravity environment in orbit where the conventional International Space Station is located, lunar infrastructure construction will primarily involve working on the ground in a low-gravity environment about one-sixth that of Earth. Therefore, we believe this is a field where we can lead the world by leveraging our cultivated unmanned and labor-saving technologies, as well as our experience in on-site manufacturing.
ispace is an important partner responsible for logistics in future lunar construction. Since our company invested in ispace in 2017, we have held various discussions between us. I am delighted that we are fully prepared and have now signed this basic agreement regarding the study of infrastructure architecture concepts in cislunar space with ispace. Moving forward, we will jointly explore new possibilities on the moon.'