Intuitive Machines vs ispace
US vs Japan: two NASA-CLPS-class lunar landers competing for commercial lunar payload market.
Side by side
| Attribute | Intuitive Machines | ispace |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2013 | 2010 |
| Headquarters | Houston, United States | Tokyo, Japan |
| Entity type | commercial | commercial |
| Operational status | public | public |
| Stock ticker | LUNR | 9348.T |
| Sectors | lunar, spacecraft | lunar, spacecraft, robotics |
| Significant people | Steve Altemus (CEO, Co-founder) | Takeshi Hakamada (CEO, Founder) |
What each one does
Intuitive Machines
Intuitive Machines is a leading commercial lunar services company providing spacecraft, landers, and space infrastructure supporting NASA's return to the Moon. In February 2024, the company achieved a historic milestone when its Odysseus Nova-C lander became the first commercial spacecraft to successfully soft-land on the Moon and the first American spacecraft to reach the lunar surface since Apollo 17 in 1972. The IM-1 mission launched on SpaceX Falcon 9 from Kennedy Space Center on February 15, 2024, with Odysseus landing at Malapert A crater near the lunar south pole on February 22. The 4-meter tall hexagonal lander carried approximately 100 kg of payload including six NASA-developed experiments and commercial customer payloads. Odysseus was the first spacecraft to use liquid methane and liquid oxygen (methalox) propulsion beyond low-Earth orbit. Selected through NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, Intuitive Machines received $118 million to develop the Nova-C platform. The CLPS program enables NASA to contract with commercial partners providing launch and landing services, accelerating lunar exploration while building a commercial lunar economy. The upcoming IM-2 mission will deploy the Athena lander to the lunar south pole region, including Nokia's Lunar Surface Communication System to establish the first cellular network on the Moon. Intuitive Machines continues developing lunar data transmission services, navigation systems, and infrastructure supporting NASA's Artemis campaign to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon.
Full Intuitive Machines profileispace
ispace is a Japanese lunar exploration company developing commercial lunar landers and transportation services. The company's Hakuto-R Mission 2, named Resilience, launched on SpaceX Falcon 9 on January 15, 2025, successfully reaching lunar orbit on May 6, 2025. On June 5, 2025, the lander attempted to touch down at the lunar south pole but experienced a hard landing after its Laser Range Finder encountered delays obtaining valid measurements. The technical analysis confirmed the lander likely impacted the lunar surface. Mission 2 carried TENACIOUS, the first European-built lunar rover (5 kg) designed and manufactured in Luxembourg with co-funding from the Luxembourg National Space Programme. Despite the setback, ispace continues advancing with Mission 3, led by ispace-U.S. and featuring the APEX 1.0 lunar lander, expected to launch in 2026. Mission 4, utilizing the Series 3 lander being designed in Japan, is scheduled for 2027 launch. The company continues working toward establishing lunar transportation infrastructure.
Full ispace profileIntuitive Machines vs ispace — frequently asked
Quick answers to the questions most often searched.
- What's the difference between Intuitive Machines and ispace?
- US vs Japan: two NASA-CLPS-class lunar landers competing for commercial lunar payload market.
- When was Intuitive Machines founded compared to ispace?
- Intuitive Machines was founded in 2013, and ispace was founded in 2010.
- Where are Intuitive Machines and ispace headquartered?
- Intuitive Machines is headquartered in Houston; ispace is headquartered in Tokyo.