Kurita Water Industries has signed a memorandum of understanding with ispace to study the feasibility of transporting a water treatment demonstration equipment on the Lunar surface, that will be developed by Kurita (hereinafter the “Water Treatment Equipment,) to the Moon loading ispace’s lander as a payload(*1) , in their mission to the Moon from 2027 onwards.
Water is essential for human lives and activities in space and on the Moon and Mars. In addition, transporting water from Earth to outer space, including the Lunar surface, would be enormously costly, so water treatment in the space sector is becoming increasingly important. Then, the movements have been underway in earnest, considering the construction and operation of plants to produce liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, which will be used as propellant for propel rockets and other spacecrafts moving in space, from the ice and water contained in the regolith (*2) on the Lunar surface.
Kurita aims to apply water treatment technologies and knowledge cultivated on Earth to the space field and has been executing multiple projects
Kurita aims to apply water treatment technologies and knowledge cultivated on Earth to the space field and has been executing multiple projects: demonstration test of a space water recovery system for use on the International Space Station (ISS) in collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), selection for the open competition "Elemental prototype testing of water purification and electrolysis processes for the realization of a lunar propellant production plant,” development of a small ultrapure water production device for use in space environments, and others. Furthermore, with the agreement of ispace's long-term vision, the "Moon Valley 2040 Concept," which will create an economic sphere connecting the Moon and Earth, Kurita has participated in their lunar exploration program, “HAKUTO-R,” to contribute to their mission to the Moon as a supporting company from 2023 and a corporate partner since 2024.
The purpose of the MOU is to consider specifications and other details of the Water Treatment Equipment, which Kurita has developed, in preparation for loading it on their lander and transporting it, executing the demonstration test on the surface of the Moon. By signing the MOU, Kurita will accelerate our initiative to utilize water resources on the Lunar surface, including the development of the Equipment.
The Kurita Group will collaborate with the various public and private sectors, aiming to contribute to humanity's challenge to space, which involves space development to develop water recovery and purification technologies in the space field and construct sustainable space plants. We will also utilize the knowledge gained from research and development in space to create and provide solutions that can help solve social and industrial issues on Earth, thereby contributing to realizing a sustainable society.
