Redwire and ispace-U.S. Sign MOU to Jointly Pursue Commercial Lunar Exploration Missions

Rhea-AI Summary

Redwire (NYSE: RDW) and ispace technologies-U.S. have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on commercial lunar exploration and science missions. The partnership will focus on NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative and other customers.

The collaboration leverages ispace's APEX lunar lander technology, which builds upon their Hakuto-R lunar exploration program experience. The APEX lander is designed as a multi-purpose platform for delivering payloads to lunar surface or orbit.

The partnership combines Redwire's expertise in digital engineering, integration, testing, and lunar subsystems with ispace's proven lunar landing platform. This initiative falls under NASA's CLPS program, which has a maximum contract value of $2.6 billion through 2028. Redwire is one of 14 prime contractors on the CLPS IDIQ contract.

Positive

• Strategic partnership gives Redwire access to NASA's $2.6B CLPS contract potential
• Position as one of 14 prime contractors on NASA CLPS contract
• Access to proven lunar landing technology through ispace partnership

Negative

• MOU is non-binding and doesn't guarantee immediate revenue
• Faces competition from 13 other prime contractors for CLPS missions

Insights

Space Industry Analyst

This MOU between Redwire and ispace-U.S. represents a strategic positioning move in the evolving commercial lunar market, potentially enhancing Redwire's competitive standing among the 14 prime contractors on NASA's CLPS program. The partnership intelligently combines Redwire's integration capabilities and lunar subsystems with ispace's flight-proven APEX lunar lander platform, creating a more compelling offering for lunar delivery services.

The timing is particularly noteworthy as lunar infrastructure development accelerates globally. By partnering with ispace-U.S., Redwire gains access to technology that has actual lunar flight heritage through the Hakuto-R program, addressing a critical credibility factor in the risk-averse space market. This helps Redwire differentiate its CLPS bid packages from competitors who may lack demonstrated lunar landing experience.

While this MOU doesn't guarantee immediate revenue, it positions Redwire to compete more effectively for portions of the $2.6 billion CLPS contract ceiling through 2028. The partnership also expands Redwire's addressable market beyond NASA to commercial customers seeking lunar payload deliveries, potentially creating multiple revenue streams.

The commercial lunar services market represents a significant growth opportunity as both government and private sector demand for lunar access increases. This collaboration strengthens Redwire's value proposition in this emerging market by addressing the most technically challenging aspect of lunar missions – reliable landing systems.

Government Contracts Specialist

This partnership substantially improves Redwire's competitive positioning within NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. The IDIQ structure of the CLPS contract means that being a prime contractor only grants Redwire the right to bid on task orders – actual revenue depends on winning these competitive bids against 13 other primes.

By teaming with ispace-U.S., Redwire addresses a critical evaluation factor in CLPS task orders: demonstrated landing capability. NASA typically evaluates technical approach and flight heritage heavily when awarding lunar delivery tasks. The ispace platform brings valuable flight experience from previous missions, potentially improving Redwire's technical scores in competitive evaluations.

The $2.6 billion ceiling represents the maximum potential value across all 14 contractors through 2028, not guaranteed revenue for any single company. Task orders are competed individually, with awards typically ranging from $70-180 million based on previous CLPS missions.

This MOU also positions Redwire for the anticipated increase in lunar-focused appropriations as NASA's Artemis program progresses. The agency has consistently signaled more reliance on commercial services for lunar infrastructure, creating expanded opportunities beyond current CLPS scope. By establishing this partnership now, Redwire improves its readiness to capture this growing market segment as NASA's lunar ambitions expand toward sustained presence requirements.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Redwire Corporation (NYSE: RDW), a leader in space infrastructure for the next-generation space economy, and ispace technologies-U.S., inc. (ispace-U.S.) an American lunar exploration company specializing in cis-lunar space transportation and infrastructure services, today announced at the 40^th Space Symposium, a memorandum of understanding to jointly pursue commercial lunar exploration and science missions for the NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative and other customers.

The NASA CLPS contract is a multi-award indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts with a cumulative maximum contract value of $2.6 billion through 2028. NASA created the CLPS program to support the creation of a lunar economy through commercial deliveries of NASA science that will help prepare for the next generation of explorers. Redwire is one of 14 prime contractors on the CLPS IDIQ contract, and together with ispace-U.S., the team will be pursuing future CLPS missions leveraging the proven ispace lunar lander. ispace-U.S.’s APEX lunar lander is ispace’s next-generation lander, incorporating lessons learned from the Hakuto-R lunar exploration program, including the Mission 1 Series 1 lander and the Mission 2 RESILIENCE lander, to deliver enhanced mass-to-surface capabilities. The APEX lander serves as a multi-purpose platform, capable of delivering customer payloads to the lunar surface or to lunar orbit.

“Redwire is proud to partner with ispace-U.S. to pursue upcoming commercial lunar exploration and science missions and deliver critical lunar infrastructure,” said Mike Gold, President of Civil and International Space at Redwire. “The combination of Redwire’s advanced digital engineering, integration and testing, and lunar subsystems and payloads with ispace’s proven lunar landing platform and mission operations creates a world-class team to support the future of humanity’s operations on the lunar surface and beyond.”

“ispace-U.S. is thrilled to announce the partnership with Redwire to push the boundaries of lunar exploration. With significant heritage from the previous ispace lunar missions, as well as its growing footprint in the United States, ispace-U.S. is uniquely positioned to instill confidence in pursuing future commercial lunar exploration and science missions to help build a cis-lunar economy,” said Elizabeth Kryst, CEO of ispace-U.S.

With this strategic collaboration, Redwire and ispace-U.S. will be empowered to apply proven experience, expertise, and heritage to support future commercial lunar missions for government and private sector customers.

About Redwire

Redwire Corporation (NYSE: RDW) is a global space infrastructure and innovation company enabling civil, commercial, and national security programs. Redwire’s proven and reliable capabilities include avionics, sensors, power solutions, critical structures, mechanisms, radio frequency systems, platforms, missions, and microgravity payloads. Redwire combines decades of flight heritage and proven experience with an agile and innovative culture. Redwire’s approximately 750 employees working from 17 facilities located throughout the United States and Europe are committed to building a bold future in space for humanity, pushing the envelope of discovery and science while creating a better world on Earth. For more information, please visit redwirespace.com.

About ispace-U.S.

ispace-U.S. is an American lunar exploration company, specializing in cis-lunar space transportation and infrastructure services. ispace-U.S. leads the design of spacecrafts, such as the APEX lunar landers and relay satellites, and the development, integration, and testing of autonomous space exploration robotic systems and platforms. The company’s U.S. headquarters serves as the central location for the development of its APEX 1.0 lunar lander, which is being designed, manufactured, and launched in the United States. For more information, follow us on LinkedIn and X: @ispace_us_inc.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250408648261/en/

Media Contacts:

Redwire:

Tere Riley

Tere.Riley@redwirespace.com

321-831-0134

ispace-U.S.:

Miri Casey

M-Casey@ispace-us.io

719-648-3018

Investors:

investorrelations@redwirespace.com

904-425-1431

Source: Redwire Corporation

FAQ

What is the value of NASA's CLPS contract that Redwire (RDW) is pursuing?

The NASA CLPS contract has a cumulative maximum value of $2.6 billion through 2028.

What technology will Redwire (RDW) and ispace-U.S. use for lunar missions?

They will use ispace's APEX lunar lander, a next-generation platform capable of delivering payloads to lunar surface or orbit.

What is Redwire's (RDW) role in the lunar exploration partnership?

Redwire will provide advanced digital engineering, integration and testing, and lunar subsystems and payloads.

How many prime contractors are there on NASA's CLPS contract with Redwire (RDW)?

There are 14 prime contractors on the CLPS IDIQ contract.