ispace, a global lunar exploration company, and OrbitAID Aerospace Private Limited (OrbitAID), India’s first on-orbit refueling company, announced a strategic partnership via a memorandum of understanding aimed at advancing sustainable lunar exploration and establishing long-term lunar operations.

As part of the collaboration, OrbitAID plans to demonstrate its Standardized Interface for Docking and Refueling Payload (SIDRP) in the future by integrating it into ispace’s lunar landers, facilitating seamless docking and refueling during lunar missions. OrbitAID will contribute its innovative refueling propellant payloads for demonstration on future lunar missions, marking a significant step toward developing sustainable lunar infrastructure.

The two companies aim to demonstrate the critical capabilities required for mission extension in the cislunar environment, enabling long-duration lunar operations and paving the way for a sustainable lunar economy. The integration of OrbitAID’s SIDRP interface is expected to not only optimize refueling, recharging, and data transmission capabilities but also support ispace’s efforts to enhance the performance and reliability of its landers. By enabling lunar refueling, both companies plan to facilitate deep-space exploration beyond Earth’s orbit.

This collaboration reflects the strengthening bilateral relationship between India and Japan in the space domain, as witnessed by the upcoming Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) mission with ISRO’s Chandrayaan-5. ispace’s commitment to participate in and support the Indian space technology ecosystem was further underscored during its participation in the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit in August 2025 with Prime Ministers H.E. Ishiba Shigeru and H.E. Narendra Modi.

OrbitAID recently completed a successful zero-gravity flight test of its SIDRP interface in December 2024, demonstrating its capability to operate effectively in space environments. In addition, OrbitAID’s first in-space refueling demonstration mission, which will be India’s first dedicated in-space refueling mission, has been planned for launch later this year aboard an Indian SSLV (Small Satellite Launch Vehicle). This mission will showcase the potential of on-orbit refueling and satellite servicing, further advancing the goals of sustainable space operations.

“We are pleased to announce this memorandum of understanding as a first step towards carrying OrbitAID’s refueling payload and the SIDRP interface on future lunar missions. We believe working together will strengthen the growing Indo-Japanese collaboration in space exploration, underlining our shared vision for a sustainable and commercially viable lunar future,” said Takeshi Hakamada, Founder & CEO of ispace.

“OrbitAID is excited to partner with ispace to investigate the next level of development for lunar exploration and the lunar economy. We envision that the SIDRP interface and refueling payloads can be a significant step toward building the infrastructure needed for sustainable space exploration. This collaboration highlights the power of international cooperation, especially between India and Japan, to advance space logistics and exploration,” said Sakthikumar R, Founder & CEO of OrbitAID.

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