Japan joins the race to mine the Moon
Outer space contains an unlimited amount of resources, from Platinum and ice to Helium-3, now, as we become a space faring species our future space exploration, outposts and transportation will rely on companies who can mine and process it.
Key takeaways
- JAXA has recently been upping its game and has begun working closely with several of Japan’s small space startup companies, most of which have received funding from both JAXA and private investors this year.
- Despite this though Japan’s space industry still lags behind that of other countries such as the US, particularly in the area of space resources.
- Sixteen teams are competing to land a probe on the moon, move it 500 meters, and send high-definition photos and video back to earth by the end of 2017.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2016) 'Japan joins the race to mine the Moon', 311 Institute, 31 December. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/japan-joins-the-race-to-mine-the-moon/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
The Japanese Space Exploration Agency (JAXA) has announced that it is leaping into the industry for space resources and it's agreed to work with a lunar robotic exploration company to create a blueprint for the industry that will eventually extract some of the trillions of dollars worth of natural resources from the moon, and which could one day reach further out into space and help support SpaceX's missions to Mars.
According to a statement JAXA has signed a memorandum of understanding with Tokyo based iSpace to work on building an industry “for the mining, transport and use of resources on the moon."
Resource mining is one of the most critical challenges facing many of todays space farers, from SpaceX to NASA, because of the huge cost and burden of having to "take your fuel with you" everywhere you go. By creating this MOU JAXA hopes to be the first agency who can commercially extract Oxygen and Hydrogen from ice mined from the moon which can be turned into rocket fuel, meaning space missions could reduce heavy fuel loads and cut launch costs.
JAXA has recently been upping its game and has begun working closely with several of Japan’s small space startup companies, most of which have received funding from both JAXA and private investors this year. Despite this though Japan’s space industry still lags behind that of other countries such as the US, particularly in the area of space resources.
In 2015 the US passed a law that gave private companies the rights to resources recovered in space and this, coupled with the decreased costs of reaching the moon which have fallen from hundreds of millions of dollars to just tens of millions of dollars today, now seem to have kick started a new great, private space race.
“Space resource development is garnering attention around the world now,” said iSpace CEO Takeshi Hakamada, “it’s very important that we work to commercialize and create rules while we still have a technological advantage globally.”
iSpace also happens, conveniently, to manage the business operations for Team Hakuto, who also want to create their own space mining business and who are the only Japanese competitor for the $30 million Google Lunar XPRIZE competition. Sixteen teams are competing to land a probe on the moon, move it 500 meters, and send high-definition photos and video back to earth by the end of 2017.
What this means for your organisation
Carrying fuel is the core cost.
Space missions must take their fuel with them, which is a huge cost and burden. Making rocket fuel from lunar ice would cut launch loads. Space firms should treat in-space supply as a cost lever, not a novelty.
Rules follow capability.
A 2015 US law gave private companies rights to resources recovered in space. Hakamada wants to help write the rules while holding a technical lead. Firms entering new frontiers should shape the rules early rather than inherit them.
Falling costs opened the race.
The cost of reaching the moon has dropped from hundreds of millions to tens of millions of dollars. Private companies now drive most space spending and launches. Investors should track where cost curves have crossed into commercial reach.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Where do we pay to carry what we could source locally?
- Are we helping write the rules in markets we want to lead?
- Which cost curves in our sector have just crossed into viability?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Outer space contains an unlimited amount of resources, from Platinum and ice to Helium-3, now, as we become a space faring species our future space exploration, outposts and transportation will rely on companies who can mine and process it.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
Read full bio
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity programme, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- Japanese Space Exploration Agency global.jaxa.jp
- iSpace ispace-inc.com
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 31 December 2016. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2016). Japan joins the race to mine the Moon. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/japan-joins-the-race-to-mine-the-moon/
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