• Thales Alenia Space signed a contract with the Italian Space Agency to lead the preliminary design and development of technologies for the Multi-Purpose Habitation (MPH) module, set to become the first dedicated human habitat on the Moon under the NASA-ASI Artemis partnership.

• Scheduled to launch in 2033, the MPH will serve as a mobile, long-duration lunar shelter supporting astronaut missions, scientific research, and sustainable surface operations over a planned 10-year lifespan.

• Italy becomes central to the Moon-to-Mars strategy through this initiative, with Thales Alenia Space leading a national consortium to tackle extreme lunar conditions and develop technologies for future interplanetary missions.

• Space Insider tracks partnerships in real time and delivers trend-driven insights to help decision-makers invest, partner, and innovate in the space industry. See how our data can work for you.

PRESS RELEASE — Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has signed a contract with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) to perform the preliminary design phase, including development of critical enabling technologies, of the pressurized Multi-Purpose Habitation (MPH) module for the lunar surface.

Planned for launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in 2033, the MPH module will be the first ever dedicated habitation asset on the lunar surface as part of the Artemis Accords between NASA and ASI for bilateral Moon cooperation. The MPH module will safely host astronauts during their missions, support surface operations, enable scientific research experiments both with and without the presence of a human crew; and have the capability to move on the surface.

Designed for a minimum operational lifespan of 10 years, the MPH will serve as a permanent surface habitat, capable of operating synergistically with other elements of the Artemis architecture.

Part rover, part lunar shelter

Over the course of the two-year contract, Thales Alenia Space Italy will act as overall prime contractor, working alongside Altec (a public-private company owned by Thales Alenia Space and ASI) and other Italian industrial entities, for the MPH preliminary design phase. The initial development will focus on enabling technologies aimed at facing the harsh environmental conditions on the lunar surface, including extreme thermal variations, pervasive lunar dust, high radiation levels, micrometeoroid impacts, and the effects of reduced lunar gravity. In collaboration with the Industrial consortium members and space agencies, the company will lead the development of the MPH module to advance scientific discovery on the Moon, enable sustainable lunar exploration and drive the knowledge and technologies needed to support human missions to Mars.

Teodoro Valente, President of the Italian Space Agency, emphasized: “MPH represents yet another scientific challenge for Italy and ASI, which are planning to bring a comfortable and safe human settlement to the lunar surface, thanks to the expertise and high, competitive technological standards that Thales Alenia Space Italy has acquired internationally in the field of space habitability. The future lunar module, the result of the historic relationship between NASA and ASI, is part of a long-term investment vision that Italy has implemented, enabling us to play an increasingly leading role in the new space race and, moreover, to be a fundamental part of the Moon to Mars Strategy of NASA’s Artemis program. Today’s signature confirms the Italian Government’s significant and ongoing commitment to supporting the development of the Space Economy and supporting Italy’s globally recognized excellence. Furthermore, it is important that this act comes just days after Parliament’s approval of the country’s first “Space Law”.

“We are deeply honored that ASI has entrusted Thales Alenia Space with this contract to develop the MPH, giving us, as a leading European company, the opportunity to drive scientific and technological progress in building the first Italian human outpost on the lunar surface. This milestone will further strengthen and advance human space exploration on the Moon and beyond,” said Giampiero Di Paolo, Deputy CEO and Executive Vice President, Observation, Exploration and Navigation at Thales Alenia Space.

About THALES ALENIA SPACE

Drawing on over 40 years of experience and a unique combination of skills, expertise and cultures, Thales Alenia Space delivers cost-effective solutions for telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, environmental monitoring, exploration, science and orbital infrastructures. Governments and private industry alike count on Thales Alenia Space to design satellite-based systems that provide anytime, anywhere connections and positioning, monitor our planet, enhance management of its resources, and explore our Solar System and beyond. Thales Alenia Space sees space as a new horizon, helping to build a better, more sustainable life on Earth. A joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), Thales Alenia Space also teams up with Telespazio to form the Space Alliance, which offers a complete range of solutions including services. Thales Alenia Space posted consolidated revenues of €2.23 billion in 2024 and has more than 8,100 employees in 7 countries with 15 sites in Europe.

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• Intuitive Machines partnered with San Jacinto College to develop a biopharmaceutical material handling training program, supporting space-based pharmaceutical recovery operations.

• The program builds on existing partnerships with Rhodium Scientific, a commercial space biotech company developing biomanufacturing payloads for Intuitive Machines’ reentry vehicle.

• San Jacinto College will train technicians in NIBRT-certified bioprocessing protocols, ensuring safe handling of pharmaceuticals upon Earth return.

• The initiative supports Intuitive Machines’ Earth Reentry Program, aiming to create a full-scale ground prototype by 2026 and establish Texas as a leader in orbital manufacturing.

PRESS RELEASE — Intuitive Machines, a leading space technology, infrastructure, and services company, today announced a partnership with San Jacinto College to develop a biopharmaceutical material handling training program based on the College’s established curriculum. Together with Intuitive Machines’ biotech partner, Rhodium Scientific, the team believes this initiative establishes an end-to-end commercial pipeline for space-based pharmaceutical production—from orbit to inspection—and helps position Texas at the forefront of orbital manufacturing.

Houston-based San Jacinto College has been a trusted workforce development partner to Intuitive Machines, providing approximately 20 trained composite material handling technicians for spacecraft development since 2019. The College is the only institution in the southern United States offering training certified by the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (“NIBRT”), the global benchmark for biopharmaceutical manufacturing excellence.

The new training program will be designed to meet the handling, inspection, and transfer requirements for pharmaceuticals returned to Earth by Intuitive Machines’ reentry vehicle. It builds on an existing partnership with International Space Station provider Rhodium Scientific, America’s first commercial space biotech company, which led the largest biomanufacturing program ever conducted in space with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Rhodium Scientific is developing biomanufacturing payloads tailored for Intuitive Machines’ reentry vehicle and will also collaborate with San Jacinto College to provide a turnkey science platform.

“Delivering life-improving pharmaceuticals from orbit is only valuable with reliable recovery and processes on Earth,” said Intuitive Machines Chief Technology Officer Tim Crain, Ph.D. “That requires more than a spacecraft—it demands the workforce, facilities, and regulatory alignment to support safe, repeatable operations. San Jacinto College has the credibility and technical depth to make this vision a reality.”

The training program is designed to prepare technicians in NIBRT-standard bioprocessing protocols to receive and manage biopharmaceuticals immediately after reentry. It complements Intuitive Machines’ ongoing development work under a Texas Space Commission grant, which supports progress through critical design review and the creation of a full-scale ground prototype Earth return vehicle. By integrating workforce partners with spacecraft and scientific payload providers, Intuitive Machines is working to create a seamless commercial architecture from orbit to end user.

“We’re proud to grow our long-standing relationship with Intuitive Machines and extend our leadership in biomanufacturing training,” said San Jacinto College Assistant Vice Chancellor and Vice President of Biotechnology Christopher Wild, Ph.D. “With NIBRT-certified programs already in place and our presence at the Houston Spaceport, San Jacinto College is uniquely positioned to train the workforce needed to commercial space-based pharma recovery.”

Looking Ahead

The Phase One grant supporting Intuitive Machines’ Earth Reentry Program will culminate in a full-scale ground mockup tailored to real payloads and use cases in early 2026. The Company believes this foundational phase and its strategic partnerships will help pave the way for future projects to bring the reentry system closer to flight readiness.

As Intuitive Machines advances toward orbital return flights, the Company is engaging stakeholders across industry and government. The collaborations with San Jacinto College and Rhodium Scientific aim to align future landing infrastructure, research opportunities, and funding pathways that deliver lasting economic impact from space.

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• CCC and ECoE signed an MoU to strengthen collaboration between Canada and Cyprus in space technology and Earth observation.

• The agreement was signed in Nicosia by Canadian Ambassador Karine Asselin and attended by Cyprus’s Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation, and Digital Policy.

• The partnership leverages CCC’s contracting expertise and ECoE’s scientific leadership to drive innovation and create commercial opportunities for both countries.

• The MoU supports CCC’s mission to diversify Canadian exports by connecting Canadian companies with global innovation hubs like ECoE.

PRESS RELEASE — CCC is very pleased to announce it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence (“ECoE”), a leading Cypriot space innovation and research organization affiliated with the Cyprus University of Technology. This MoU marks a strategic bilateral partnership that will promote collaboration between Canada and Cyprus in the growing space technology and Earth observation sectors.  

The MoU was signed in Nicosia, Cyprus, by Her Excellency Mrs. Karine Asselin, Ambassador of Canada to Greece and High Commissioner to Cyprus, on behalf of CCC and in the presence of Dr. Nicodemos Damianou, Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy of the Republic of Cyprus.

“This agreement aligns with Canada’s commitment to strengthening global collaboration in the space sector. By leveraging CCC’s government-to-government contracting expertise and ECoE’s scientific excellence, we aim to accelerate innovative solutions and expand commercial opportunities for Canadian and Cypriot businesses,” said Bobby Kwon, President and CEO of CCC.

This partnership builds on CCC’s mission of promoting Canada’s export diversification by linking Canadian expertise with global innovation centres. It opens new opportunities for collaboration for Canadian exporters in satellite technology, Earth observation services, space-based training solutions, and related fields. Together, CCC and ECoE will work to produce lasting benefits for communities in Canada, Cyprus, and the broader Eastern Mediterranean region.

About CCC

CCC is Canada’s government to government contracting agency. We help build successful commercial relationships between Canadian businesses and governments around the world through our government to government contracting approach. We are also the U.S. Department of Defense designated contracting authority for procurements from Canada. To learn more about how we have facilitated billions in trade between Canadian businesses and governments around the world, visit ccc.ca.

Partnership alerts like this one are monitored in real-time by the Space Insider intelligence engine.

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• The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) and the National Power Corporation (NPC) signed an agreement to use satellite technology for energy infrastructure planning, disaster response, and environmental resource management.

• The partnership will focus on site selection for energy projects, post-disaster damage assessment, and satellite-based monitoring of dams and watersheds.

• PhilSA will provide technical training and real-time satellite data access to NPC teams, enhancing operational efficiency in remote and disaster-prone areas.

• Both agencies emphasized the role of science and innovation in building a more resilient and data-driven national energy system.

PRESS RELEASE — The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) and the National Power Corporation (NPC) have entered a partnership to harness satellite technology for enhancing the country’s energy infrastructure, disaster resilience, and environmental resource management. This collaboration, formalized through a ceremonial signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on 09 July 2025, will focus on three key areas: 1) suitable project site identification and monitoring, 2) post-disaster recovery assessment, and 3) dams and watershed management.

With the Philippines being highly vulnerable to typhoons and other natural disasters, the partnership between PhilSA and NPC seeks to optimize energy infrastructure planning, ensuring future hybrid power plants, transmission lines, and distribution line projects will be strategically located and monitored during extreme weather events. Post-disaster assessments using satellite imagery will accelerate damage evaluation and power restoration, while satellite-based monitoring of dams and watersheds will improve flood control, water management, and environmental conservation.

As part of the agreement, PhilSA will also conduct capacity development activities and provide technical support to NPC personnel in satellite data management and applications.

“Through this partnership, we’re not just exchanging data or technology, we’re building something more sustainable. With access to near real-time satellite feeds, we’re enabling NPC’s engineers and field teams to extract insights and apply them directly to operations, whether that’s monitoring dams, planning energy projects, or responding to emergencies,” PhilSA Deputy Director General for Space Science and Technology (DDGSST) Gay Jane P. Perez, Ph.D. said.

The collaboration between PhilSA and NPC underscores the commitment of both agencies towards a more resilient Philippines, informed by data, guided by science, and powered by innovation.

“This partnership [with PhilSA] will help us perform our duties more efficiently, more effectively, especially in the planning and execution of projects, watershed management, the location of causes of outages in areas that are affected by the rain, and also planning our very complex supply chain of delivering fuel to 260 powerplants in the furthest last mile regions of the archipelago,” NPC President & CEO Dr. Fernando Martin Y. Roxas.

PhilSA DDGSST Perez and NPC President & CEO Roxas signed the agreement, witnessed by PhilSA Space Information Infrastructure Bureau (SIIB) Director Dr. Ariel C. Blanco and NPC Corporate Affairs Group Vice President Rogel T. Teves.

About PhilSA

The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) is the central government agency of the Philippines that plans, develops, and promotes the national space program in line with the Philippine Space Policy. Created in August 2019 under Republic Act No. 11363 (‘The Philippine Space Act’), PhilSA is an attached agency of the Office of the President of the Philippines for purposes of policy and program coordination and to ensure alignment in national policies and priorities.

About NPC

The National Power Corporation (NPC) is a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) duly organized and existing under and by virtue of Republic Act (RA) No. 6395, as amended. It is primarily responsible for developing, generating, and transmitting affordable and reliable electricity, particularly to underserved and unserved areas in the Philippines.

This news release was sourced by Space Insider’s proprietary news engine.

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• Sierra Space secured a contract with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to supply spacecraft docking components for future JAXA missions to the ISS, including a Passive Common Berthing Mechanism (PCBM), hatch, lighting system, and pressure sensors.

• The PCBM enables secure docking between pressurized vehicles and the ISS, allowing for precise alignment and environmental sealing through a passive, low-maintenance design.

• Sierra Space’s proven hardware and systems reinforce its reputation as a trusted supplier for international space missions and critical space infrastructure.

PRESS RELEASE — Sierra Space, a leading commercial space company and defense tech prime that is building a platform in space to benefit and protect life on Earth®, announced today it has been awarded a contract by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to deliver key components for spacecraft docking on the International Space Station (ISS). This includes a Passive Common Berthing Mechanism (PCBM), connection hatch, lighting system, and pressure sensor technology to enable spacecraft to dock at the ISS. The components will ultimately be used by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for space station missions to the ISS.

“By working with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to support JAXA’s future missions to the ISS, we’re underscoring our commitment to scientific advancement and the growth of the low-Earth orbit economy,” said Dr. Tom Marshburn, Chief Astronaut and VP of Human Factors Engineering at Sierra Space. “This contract reinforces Sierra Space’s reputation for delivering mission-critical, flight-proven systems that our partners can rely on. We’re committed to a diverse and reliable Space Tech product portfolio that helps shape the future of space infrastructure.”

The PCBM is a critical component that enables secure and reliable docking of pressurized vehicles to the ISS. As one of the industry’s trusted suppliers of this flight-proven hardware, Sierra Space’s PCBM provides precise alignment and environmental sealing between the ISS and visiting spacecraft. The fully passive assembly, complementing the active system mounted on the ISS, features minimal moving parts, making it a highly dependable choice for international space missions. Sierra Space will also build the hatch system to round out the entry and exit connection.

This award further strengthens Sierra Space’s position as an industry leader in space infrastructure. The company remains committed to advancing the frontiers of space technology through the development, integration, and testing of Space Tech programs including the creation of environmental systems, subsystems, rocket engines, and propulsion technologies.

About Sierra Space

Sierra Space is a leading commercial space company and emerging defense tech prime, that is building an end-to-end business and technology platform in space to benefit and protect life on Earth. With more than 30 years and 500 missions of space flight heritage, the company is reinventing both space transportation with Dream Chaser®, the world’s only commercial spaceplane, and the future of space destinations with the company’s expandable space station technology. Using commercial business models, the company is also delivering orbital services to commercial, DoD and national security organizations, expanding production capacity to meet the needs of constellation programs. In addition, Sierra Space builds a host of systems and subsystems across solar power, mechanics and motion control, environmental control, life support, propulsion and thermal control, offering myriad space-as-a-service solutions for the new space economy.

This news release was sourced by Space Insider’s proprietary news engine.

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