ULTRA lander
ispace's next, larger Moon lander. Announced in March 2026, it combines the APEX 1.0 design from its U.S. team and the Series 3 design from Japan into one model with a new engine.
Why it matters
ULTRA is the vehicle for all of ispace's upcoming missions, including a NASA science delivery to the Moon's far side. Whether it flies on time decides whether ispace can turn two failed landings into a working delivery business.
How the technology works
ispace had been building two landers in parallel: APEX 1.0 in the U.S. and Series 3 in Japan.
After its engine partner Agile Space Industries fell behind, ispace merged the two designs and chose a flight-proven engine from another supplier. Japanese missions are planned for 2028 and 2029.
The U.S. mission, flown with Draper for NASA's CLPS program, moved to 2030 pending NASA approval.
Sources
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · How we source facts · Suggest a correction