Space mining, done versus claimed.
Has there been a commercial delivery of a resource from the Moon, an asteroid, or Mars?
No commercial delivery in this dataset.
A reference to the organizations, missions, government authorizations and laws behind efforts to use resources from the Moon, asteroids and Mars.
Scientific sampling, processing demonstrations and commercial delivery are different steps. Sample returns and processing demonstrations in this dataset are not commercial deliveries. Read the full status answer.
How far each organization has gone
38 organizationsThe highest step on the evidence ladder that primary sources support for each organization. Government bodies and counterparties listed only for context are not counted. How the ladder works.
Government authorizations
4 actsGovernment acts found in this research that name a resource activity or a resource mission. These instruments have different legal effects. This is not an official register.
| Country | Holder and mission | Instrument | Granted | Linked mission |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | FAA-led interagency payload review: Moon Express MX-1E (2016)Holder: Moon Express, Inc. | Favorable payload determination | 2016Granted | Moon Express MX-1E first lunar mission (Google Lunar XPRIZE attempt)Not flown (stalled) |
| Japan | Japan Space Resources Act permit to ispace for HAKUTO-R Mission 1 (2022)Holder: ispace, inc. | Space resources authorization | 2022-11-04Granted | HAKUTO-R Mission 1 (ispace M1 lander)Flew. Outcome: failure |
| Luxembourg | Luxembourg space resources mission authorisation to ispace EUROPE S.A. for the TENACIOUS micro-rover (2024)Holder: ispace EUROPE S.A. | Space resources authorization | 2024-11-22Granted | TENACIOUS micro-rover (ispace-EUROPE)Flew. Outcome: failure |
| Japan | Japan Space Resources Act permit to ispace for Mission 2 (RESILIENCE) (2024)Holder: ispace, inc. | Space resources authorization | 2024-12-17Granted | SMBC x HAKUTO-R Venture Moon (ispace Mission 2, RESILIENCE lander)Flew. Outcome: failure |
Scheduled next
11 missionsMissions with a planned launch date. Planned dates are the operator's or agency's stated targets and often slip.
| Mission | Operator | Target | Planned launch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Griffin Mission One (Griffin-1, NASA Moon Base II)In development | Astrobotic Technology | Moon | Planned 2026 H2 (target)Date detailsAnnouncement date not recorded. Record checked 2026-09-25. |
| METAL multispectral camera (Interlune / NASA Ames) on Griffin-1Manifested | Interlune | Moon | Planned 2026 H2 (target)Date detailsAnnouncement date not recorded. Record checked 2026-09-25. |
| DeepSpace-2In development | AstroForge | Near-Earth asteroid | Planned 2027 (target)Date detailsAnnouncement date not recorded. Record checked 2026-09-26. |
| Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 2 (Riders 2 the Dark)In development | Firefly Aerospace | Moon | Planned, no earlier than 2027Date detailsAnnouncement date not recorded. Record checked 2026-09-25. |
| PROSPECT (Package for Resource Observation, in-Situ Prospecting for Exploration, Characterisation & Testing)Manifested | European Space Agency | Moon | Planned 2027 (target)Date detailsAnnouncement date not recorded. Record checked 2026-09-25. |
| LUPEX / Chandrayaan-5 (Lunar Polar Exploration mission)In development | Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Indian Space Research Organisation | Moon | Planned, no earlier than 2028Date detailsAnnouncement date not recorded. Record checked 2026-09-25. |
| Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA) / MBR ExplorerIn development | UAE Space Agency | Main-belt asteroid | Planned 2028-03 (window)Date detailsAnnouncement date not recorded. Record checked 2026-09-25. |
| Chang'e-8In development | China National Space Administration | Moon | Planned 2029 (target)Date detailsAnnouncement date not recorded. Record checked 2026-09-25. |
| ispace Mission 4 (ULTRA lander; formerly Mission 6)In development | ispace, inc. | Moon | Planned 2029 (target)Date detailsAnnouncement date not recorded. Record checked 2026-09-25. |
| MAGPIE (Mission for Advanced Geophysics and Polar Ice Exploration) roverIn development | ispace EUROPE S.A. | Moon | Planned 2029 (target)Date detailsAnnouncement date not recorded. Record checked 2026-09-25. |
| Intuitive Machines CLPS south-pole delivery (2026 award, 2030 target)Announced | Intuitive Machines | Moon | Planned 2030 (target)Date detailsAnnouncement date not recorded. Record checked 2026-09-25. |
Recent events
Latest dated contracts, awards, funding and agreements. Full timeline.
- 2026-09-14
- 2026-09-09
ispace bank loan from Shizuoka Bank (3 billion yen)
Company announcement. No counterparty or government record found.
- 2026-08-18
- 2026-08-07
Japan Space Strategy Fund grant to ispace for polar high-precision landing (Mission 4)
Company announcement. No counterparty or government record found.
- 2026-07-30
Interlune-Vermeer expanded partnership (lunar site-preparation tool)
Company announcement. No counterparty or government record found.
- 2026-07-24