15 Apr, 2026
Two Companies to Explore Cislunar Infrastructure Architecture including Lunar Surface Data Center
TOKYO–April 15, 2026–ispace, inc. (ispace) (TOKYO: 9348), a global lunar exploration company, and Shimizu Corp., a Japanese architecture, civil engineering and general contracting firm, have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning planning studies for infrastructure architecture in cislunar space including a lunar surface data center.
Under terms of the agreement, the two companies will jointly develop a basic concept for infrastructure in cislunar space and a phased implementation roadmap; examine basic concepts regarding construction sites, facility configurations, construction methods, power, thermal, and communications management; and discuss approaches to future demonstration, commercialization, and public-private partnerships. Based on the results, the two companies plan to proceed with collaboration and coordination with relevant public and private sector organizations.
Shimizu is advancing research and development to provide residential infrastructure in anticipation of an era when humans live on the Moon. In its “Space construction innovation project” managed by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism as part of the Space Development and Utilization Acceleration Strategy Program (Stardust Program), the company has been conducting research and development on the themes “Development of Environmental Awareness Infrastructure System for Autonomous Construction and Demonstration of Construction” and “On-Ground Testbed Demonstration of an Inflatable Lunar Habitat Module,” for future lunar base construction.
Shimizu has been working to overcome the constraints of space, such as severe environmental conditions and lack of workers on the lunar surface. The company is developing autonomous/automated/labor-saving construction technologies, as well as architectural technologies such as a membrane-structured, autonomously deployable habitat module. Through ongoing research and development, the company is advancing the study of foundational technologies for building lunar infrastructure.
ispace is creating a new economy between the Moon and Earth, known as the cislunar economy, by providing lunar transportation and lunar data services. In addition to conducting missions using its proprietary lunar lander, the company is also working to build a data business to support lunar exploration, resource utilization, and lunar base development. Going forward, the two companies will collaborate to explore the construction of a lunar data center, contributing to the realization of the cislunar architecture that will support future lunar activities.
Statement of Takeshi Hakamada, Founder & CEO of ispace
“As international efforts toward lunar development accelerate, the importance of functions such as communications, data processing, and data management continues to grow. I am pleased that we have reached a basic agreement with Shimizu Corp., a company with world-class technology and a proven track record in the construction sector, to explore infrastructure architecture concepts for the cislunar space.
“On the Moon, on-site computing power and data integration among individual construction machines are essential for realizing autonomous construction and operations that do not rely on human labor. We believe the concept of a lunar data center will be one of the core elements supporting this future lunar infrastructure. Moving forward, we will collaborate with relevant public and private sector organizations to advance our efforts toward realizing a sustainable cislunar economy.”
About Shimizu Corporation (https://www.shimz.co.jp/)
Founded in 1804. While upholding and passing down a tradition of integrity in craftsmanship and a pioneering spirit, the company operates in the following core business areas—construction (building, civil engineering, and overseas construction), real estate development, engineering, green energy development, and building lifecycle management—with construction serving as its cornerstone. A new core business area, “Emerging Frontier Business,” positions space development as the “frontier” of the construction industry, engaging in businesses such as support for small rocket launches, satellite data utilization leveraging GNSS, and research and development related to lunar development and utilization.
About ispace, inc. (https://ispace-inc.com)
ispace, a global lunar resource development company with the vision, “Expand our planet. Expand our future.”, specializes in designing and building lunar landers and rovers. ispace aims to extend the sphere of human life into space and create a sustainable world by providing high-frequency, low-cost transportation services to the Moon. The company has business entities in Japan, Luxembourg, and the United States with more than 300 employees worldwide. For more information, visit: www.ispace-inc.com and follow us on X: @ispace_inc.