ispace and Bridgestone to Enhance Small and Medium-sized Lunar Rovers

ispace, inc. (ispace) and Bridgestone Corporation (Bridgestone) today announced that the companies have signed a basic agreement towards practical application of tires for small and medium-sized lunar rovers.

Takeshi Hakamada, Founder & CEO, ispace, inc. (right), and Masaki Ota, Director, OE Business Strategy & Planning/New Mobility Business Division, Bridgestone Corporation (left) at a signing ceremony confirming the agreement on July 15, 2025

Based on this agreement, ispace and Bridgestone will jointly aim to enhance the performance of small and medium-sized lunar rovers. Bridgestone has been developing tires that can flexibly change shape (elastic wheels)^*1 in response to harsh surface like those on the moon, to provide high ability to traverse and durability for lunar rovers. These tires will be equipped on the small and medium-sized lunar rover prototypes developed by ispace. Performance verification will be conducted on Earth ahead of use on the moon. Through these initiatives, both companies will assess the feasibility of the technologies and business opportunities on the lunar surface, and aim for the practical application of these tires as early as around 2029. ispace and Bridgestone will further pursue collaboration through this initiative and aim to contribute to the advancement of Japan’s space industry, considering the utilization of the Space Strategy Fund established at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

Concept model of a tire developed by Bridgestone for lunar rovers

Statement of Takeshi Hakamada, Founder & CEO, ispace, inc.

« ispace’s goal of establishing a new economy on the Moon requires the participation of players from a wide range of industries. This agreement to test and verify technology for future lunar missions is proof of this, » said Takeshi Hakamada, Founder & CEO of ispace, inc. « Bridgestone, who has driven the evolution of mobility worldwide through its technological expertise, is now developing lunar rover tires for the extreme environments found on the Moon. These tires will undoubtedly contribute to future human advancement on the Moon. The micro rovers being developed by ispace are some of the world’s smallest lunar rovers. They will be indispensable technology for the Moon, and a new frontier for humanity. We look forward to this collaborative effort with Bridgestone. »

Statement of Masaki Ota, Director, OE Business Strategy & Planning/New Mobility Business Division, Bridgestone Corporation

« Bridgestone began research and development of tires for lunar rovers in 2019. In April 2025, we unveiled concept models^*2 featuring reduced weight for small and medium-sized lunar rovers, and we are working to further expand our network in the space business and create new opportunities for co-creation. We are very honored to start collaborating with ispace, who shares our vision for these initiatives. Bridgestone’s lunar rover tire has a structure of thin metal spokes^*3, enabling flexible deformation while maintaining durability. This design delivers superior ability to traverse and shock absorption, allowing the rover to traverse the lunar surface and overcome obstacles such as lunar rocks. With these technical features, our tires support ispace’s rover from the ground up in the harsh lunar environment, as we take on various missions together. Through collaboration with ispace, a space startup originating in Japan, we aim to establish the superiority of our lunar rover tire technology and contribute to the advancement of lunar development in Japan. »

Source: Bridgestone