Asset Finance & Alternatives in APAC & Beyond
Aviation Finance, Alt Asset Finance in APAC & Beyond
Your exclusive gateway to the latest developments across transportation and space, and most importantly, how to finance it all - debt, equity, and defi! We follow and forecast where the money’s at.
Join us as we navigate through the latest roundup to uncover key developments across the region.
**Nothing in this article is intended to be or should be construed as legal or financial advice.**
Summary
Financing & Investments: AIXTRON Bets Big on €40M Penang Chip Facility; Toyota Accelerates Hybrid Push With Factory Upgrade; Tazapay Expands Funding to Scale Global Payments; Startale Gains Fresh Capital for Blockchain Growth; Singtel Innov8 Backs Robotics Unicorn in Mega Round; StarMason Clears Path for Hyperscale AI Data Hub; Rare Earth Alliance Targets New Metals Facility; Foxconn Boosts Manufacturing With Major Investment; and DV8 Enters Digital Asset Custody With Acquisition
Environmental Sustainability: SHEIN Partners DHL to Scale Low-Emission Air Cargo; EU Commits Major Funding for Clean Energy and Transport Push; EcoCeres Launches SAF Pilot to Advance Green Aviation; Indonesia Opens Waste-to-Energy Projects to Investors; KWAP Backs District Cooling to Boost Energy Efficiency; and Umoe Expands Hydrogen Storage Production With New Facility
Aviation: ACCC Flags Rising Airfares Amid Middle East Disruptions; bp pulse Breaks Ground on EV Charging Hub at Melbourne Airport; Indonesia Reviews Airline Fuel Surcharge Hike as Costs Soar; Japan Incentivizes Tourism With Free Domestic Flights; Singapore Defers Passenger SAF Levy Amid Economic Pressures; Thailand Cuts Airfares and Adds Seats for Songkran Holiday; and World Fuel Expands Air Elite Network in Thailand and Georgia
Advanced Air Mobility: CALB Ramps Up Production of High-Density Flying Car Batteries; China Opens Major Road-Air Testing Hub for Next-Gen Mobility; DJI Patent Dispute Hits Insta360 Shares; China Eyes Drone Manufacturing Expansion With New Overseas Plant; and India Advances eVTOL Push With Indigenous Drone Production Deal
Marine: CrewDex Launches Cloud Platform to Streamline Fleet Operations; Hapag-Lloyd Signs Deals to Boost India Shipping Strategy; ePropulsion Opens Green Ship Testing Lab in South China; Eni Greenlights Major Offshore Gas Projects in Indonesia; Japan Wind Power Teams Up With GWEC to Accelerate Offshore Development; and APM Terminals Takes 49% Stake in Vietnam Deepwater Port
Space: Australia Selects Roo-ver for Moon South Pole Mission; Advanced Navigation Raises $50M to Expand Autonomous Systems; China Launches Human Space Research Program; Sustain Space Demonstrates On-Orbit Robotic Refueling; iSpace Restructures, Shifts Moon Landing to 2030; Orbital Lasers Secures $20M for Spaceborne Laser Tech; Space Compass to Deploy GEO Optical Relay Satellite; and NASA and KARI Expand Deep Space Exploration Collaboration
Financing & Investments
Investment activity is clustering around Southeast Asia, with a strong tilt toward scaling high-tech manufacturing, digital finance, and AI-driven infrastructure as companies position for regional growth and supply chain resilience.
Germany-Malaysia
AIXTRON, a Germany-based supplier of deposition equipment for compound semiconductors, will spend €40 million ($46 million) to build a new manufacturing facility in Malaysia’s Penang region. The plant will include assembly and test operations, engineering support, and local purchasing capabilities, manufacturing some of the company’s 100/150/200 mm products primarily for customers in Asia. Operations are expected to begin in spring 2027, with first shipments anticipated in the second half of the year.
💡The company said the expansion is aimed at tapping into Southeast Asia’s semiconductor equipment ecosystem and will complement its existing facilities in Germany and the United Kingdom.
Japan-Vietnam
Toyota is investing $360 million to modernize its factory in Vietnam and establish a hybrid vehicle production line, beginning with the construction of a new office complex at its Phu Tho plant. The groundbreaking for the 8,700-square-meter facility, which includes a two-story office building, a training center with capacity for about 1,000 trainees annually, and green spaces, took place on March 26. Company officials described the project as the first phase of a broader plan to introduce Toyota’s first hybrid models assembled in Vietnam.
💡Executives said Toyota regards Vietnam as a key market in the region and has approved new investments incorporating advanced manufacturing technology.
Singapore
Tazapay, a Singapore-based payment infrastructure provider for emerging markets, has closed a Series B extension led by Circle Ventures, bringing total Series B funding to $36 million. New investors CMT Digital and Coinbase Ventures joined the round alongside existing backers including Peak XV Partners, GMO Venture Partners, and January Capital. The funding will support the company’s licensing expansion across multiple jurisdictions, accelerate go-to-market efforts in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and the Americas, and develop agentic payment infrastructure for AI-driven transactions.
💡Tazapay operates a regulated cross-border payments platform with licenses and registrations in Singapore, Canada, Australia, and the United States, and applications pending in the UAE, EU, and Hong Kong.
Singapore
Startale Group has completed a $63 million Series A round, following a $50 million second close from SBI Group that builds on a $13 million first close from Sony Innovation Fund in January 2026. The Singapore-based blockchain firm will use the funding to accelerate onchain infrastructure for finance, entertainment, and real-world asset adoption, scaling its Strium platform for tokenized securities and expanding adoption of JPYSC and USDSC stablecoins.
💡The company also plans to develop its Startale App into a SuperApp combining asset management, payments, and social features. SBI Group’s investment extends an existing partnership that includes Strium, a Layer 1 blockchain for tokenized securities, and JPYSC, a trust bank-backed JPY stablecoin co-developed through a joint venture announced in August 2025.
Singapore-China
Singapore-based Singtel Innov8 has backed Chinese robotics company ROBOTERA in a RMB 1 billion ($145 million) strategic funding round that valued the firm at over RMB 10 billion. The round included major new investors such as Gaocheng Capital, Woori Venture Partners, CICC Porsche Fund, and a South Korean technology company, with existing investors CDH Venture and Tsinghua Holding Tiancheng Asset Management significantly increasing their stakes.
💡The funds will accelerate technology iteration and product scale-up in e-commerce logistics, industrial manufacturing, and pharmaceutical distribution. ROBOTERA develops humanoid robots and dexterous hands largely in-house, shipping over 1,000 units in 2025 with half going to overseas markets. Cumulative orders have exceeded RMB 500 million, with clients including SF Express, Samsung, Geely, Lenovo, Haier and TCL.
Singapore-Vietnam
StarMason JSC, a joint venture between Singapore’s Sembcorp Development and Vietnam’s BB Holdings, has received investment approval for a hyperscale- and AI-ready data center campus in Ho Chi Minh City’s Saigon Hi-Tech Park. The project, the first data center development for StarMason, will be built on a 4.5-hectare site with up to 90MW of computing capacity and is designed to meet Uptime Institute Tier III standards with an ambition to achieve Tier IV classification.
💡Under Ho Chi Minh City’s investment portfolio decision for the high-tech park, priority sectors such as data centers require investments exceeding $100 million per hectare, placing the project’s minimum investment at $450 million. The approved project exceeds the park’s most recent data center investment of $250 million by local tech firm CMC.
South Korea-Australia-Vietnam
South Korea’s LS Eco Energy and Australia’s Lynas Rare Earth have entered into a framework agreement to build a rare earth metal factory in Vietnam. The facility, to be constructed by LS Eco Energy, is intended to expand Lynas’ existing operations that convert rare earth oxides into metals used in permanent magnet production.
The new site will support growing demand for rare earth metals and increase Lynas’ supply of metalized neodymium-praseodymium as well as selected heavy rare earth products including samarium, dysprosium, and terbium. The factory is expected to enter production in stages, with samarium metal as an initial priority.
💡The two companies also plan separate definitive agreements for a cross-subscription of convertible instruments valued at approximately A$30 million (US$20.9 million) each. In December 2025, LS Eco Energy announced it would invest an additional KRW28.5 billion (US$19.26 million) in its rare earth metals business in Vietnam to build processing facilities
Taiwan-Vietnam
Foxconn has invested an additional $287.1 million in its Vietnam-based subsidiary Fulian Precision Technology Component through its Singapore entity Ingrasys (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., according to a filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange. The transaction increases Foxconn’s total investment in the unit to approximately $668 million while maintaining 100 percent ownership. A similar investment of $16.2 million was made in October 2025.
💡Fulian Precision Technology, headquartered in the Quang Chau Industrial Park in northern Vietnam, manufactures communications equipment, network cards, switches, digital receivers, display cards, memory modules, routers, Wi-Fi access points, base station equipment and sensors.
Thailand
DV8 Public Company Limited, a Thailand-based media, advertising, and event management firm, has entered into a share purchase agreement to acquire 100 percent of Rakkar Digital, a provider of digital asset custodial wallet services licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The transaction, subject to regulatory approvals, will make Rakkar Digital a wholly owned subsidiary. DV8 plans to inject up to 100 million baht (approximately $2.7 million) into the company to support operations and meet SEC net capital requirements, using internal working capital for the funding.
💡The acquisition is part of DV8’s strategy to expand into digital asset custody, a segment growing in Thailand’s digital finance sector.
Environmental Sustainability
Sustainability efforts continue, with growing momentum in clean energy, low-carbon transport, and circular infrastructure as both public and private players scale decarbonization solutions.
China
SHEIN has signed an agreement with DHL to adopt its GoGreen Plus service, supporting the use of sustainable aviation fuel within air cargo logistics. The service allocates lifecycle emissions reductions associated with SAF to corporate customers using internationally recognized accounting methodologies, with documentation through recognized certification frameworks.
💡The agreement builds on broader SAF-related initiatives by SHEIN, including a 2025 pilot with Atlas Air that used 187.3 tonnes of SAF across 14 charter flights, and participation in a China pilot program with Air China Cargo, CNAF, and CASRI. SHEIN has also joined the World Economic Forum-led Green Fuel Forward campaign.
EU-Vietnam
The European Union will invest €560 million ($649 million) in sustainable transport and clean energy in Vietnam. The package aligns with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy and follows the recent upgrade of bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The funding includes a €200 million agreement between EIB Global and Techcombank to expand lending for renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable transport projects. European development banks also signed €230 million in loans with national power company EVN for the Bac Ai pumped storage hydropower plant, part of a nearly €400 million “Team Europe” financing package.
💡Additional deals cover a €23 million top-up for the Energy Transition Facility, a €20 million sustainable forest management program, and a €50 million vocational training initiative. A €40 million Sustainable Transport Facility will support public transport expansion, including railways, inland waterways, and urban mobility.
Hong Kong-Mainland China
EcoCeres has launched a sustainable aviation fuel pilot program in China called “Project Spark” in partnership with CASRI, CNAF, China Southern Airlines, Air China Cargo, Sichuan Airlines, and Huarong Chemical. SAF produced at EcoCeres’ Zhangjiagang facility was blended by CNAF and used to refuel multiple commercial flights at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport on March 16, with environmental credits transferred via the AnchorTrace platform.
💡The initiative pilots China’s independent SAF sustainability certification system, a framework for transferring Scope 1 and Scope 3 emissions, and a financing model for green premiums. EcoCeres’ SAF, made from waste feedstocks, delivers up to 90 percent lifecycle emissions reduction compared to conventional jet fuel. The company already supplies SAF to international carriers including Air New Zealand, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Qantas
Indonesia
Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund PT Danantara Investment Management has opened registration for companies seeking to become investment partners in the country’s Waste-to-Energy infrastructure program. The initiative aims to accelerate sustainable urban waste management, with the fund establishing a Verified Providers List of prequalified companies eligible to participate in Waste-to-Energy Facility Projects across Indonesia. Domestic and international firms with relevant experience may apply individually or as part of a consortium.
💡Expressions of Interest must be submitted by April 14, with the registration period running from March 25 to April 25. The fund will also hold virtual technical discussion sessions on March 26 and April 1 to accommodate participants from different regions.
Malaysia
Malaysia’s public sector pension fund KWAP is expected to commit up to MYR 190 million ($47.38 million) to Lestari Cooling Energy, a district cooling joint venture platform backed by KJTS Group and alternative investment firm Stonepeak. The funding will support the company’s strategy to develop district cooling and electricity distribution assets primarily in Malaysia.
💡District cooling systems can reduce energy consumption by up to 50 percent compared to traditional methods, supporting Malaysia’s National Energy Transition Roadmap. At full deployment, the company is expected to generate over 70,000 tCO2 in annual emissions savings.
Norway-China
Umoe Advanced Composites has started industrial production at its new manufacturing facility in Jiaxing, China, marking the first large-scale production of Type 4 composite cylinders at its largest global production base. The 12,000-square-meter facility triples the company’s global production capacity, with potential annual output of up to 20,000 cylinders, and will support production of multi-element gas containers including units for the Good Earth Green Hydrogen and Ammonia project in Australia.
💡The first MEGCs produced at the Jiaxing plant will be used for hydrogen storage, with the facility also supporting compressed natural gas applications. Located in the Yangtze River Delta, the site sits within a growing hydrogen development cluster.
Aviation
Aviation markets are navigating rising fuel costs, Middle East disruptions, and decarbonization efforts, with airlines, regulators, and service providers balancing operational resilience, regional tourism incentives, and sustainable infrastructure investment.
Australia
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), in its March 2026 domestic airline competition report,said disruptions to Middle Eastern transit hubs have reduced international services and shifted demand toward alternative routes, placing upward pressure on airfares. Fuel prices have increased amid energy market uncertainty, though Australian carriers are partially insulated by hedging, and the ACCC warned businesses against making misleading statements about price increases.
💡Domestic capacity grew 2.0 percent year-on-year in January 2026 while passenger numbers fell, with seat capacity remaining 3.3 percent below 2019 levels. Service reliability varied: Virgin Australia and Rex recorded low cancellation rates, while Jetstar’s on-time arrival rate was 67.7 percent. The Qantas Group and Virgin Australia reported strong first-half earnings, and workforce constraints persist in pilot and maintenance engineer roles.
Australia
bp pulse has broken ground on its first large-scale electric vehicle charging hub in Australia, located at Melbourne Airport and scheduled for completion in 2026. The facility will feature 24 charging bays with 150kW and 300kW chargers, two accessible bays, drive-through bays for larger vehicles, and amenities including a bathroom and canopy. The hub will be powered by 100 percent renewable electricity generated from the airport’s two onsite solar farms.
💡The project marks bp pulse’s first large-scale hub in Australia, defined as having more than eight bays. The site is expected to serve professional drivers, businesses, travelers, and locals, with Uber drivers eligible for existing EV charging discounts.
Indonesia
Indonesia’s transport ministry is reviewing a proposal from domestic airlines to increase fuel surcharges by 15 percent and raise the domestic airfare cap, as carriers face higher costs amid the Middle East conflict. The Indonesian National Air Carriers Association has requested the hikes, citing a near doubling of aviation fuel prices and a weakening rupiah that has increased dollar-denominated operational expenses.
💡The government said it will consider factors including airline finances, consumer purchasing power, and industry sustainability before making a decision. Fuel surcharges are currently set at 10 percent of the fare cap for jet aircraft and 25 percent for turboprops under 2023 regulations, while the existing fare ceiling dates to 2019. INACA also proposed temporary relief measures such as postponing value-added tax on aviation fuel and adjusting airport service fees.
Japan-Canada
Japan is using complimentary domestic flights as a tourism incentive to encourage international visitors, including Canadians, to explore regions beyond major cities such as Tokyo and Osaka. Japan Airlines offers a free one-way domestic flight to travelers booking qualifying transpacific tickets from Canada, with taxes and fees still applicable, while All Nippon Airways has introduced similar offers for travelers from the UK and Europe. The initiatives aim to distribute tourism more evenly and address overtourism in marquee destinations.
💡The program aligns with Japan’s broader tourism strategy of regional revitalization and visitor dispersal, while Canadian visitors are considered a high-value market that tends to stay longer and spend more. Travel advisors note the offers reduce the cost barrier to reaching smaller airports and encourage multi-stop itineraries that support rural economies.
Singapore
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore has deferred the rollout of its planned sustainable aviation fuel levy, a world-first passenger-linked environmental charge, citing economic pressures from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The levy was originally scheduled to apply to tickets sold from April 1, 2026, for flights departing later in the year; under the revised timeline, it will apply to tickets sold from October 1, 2026, for flights departing from January 1, 2027.
💡The levy was introduced under Singapore’s Sustainable Air Hub Blueprint to fund SAF purchases and support aviation decarbonization, with a target of 1 percent SAF use on departing flights now shifted to 2027.
Thailand
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand is tightening fare monitoring and has secured agreements with six airlines to reduce ticket prices by 15–30 percent during the Songkran holiday period, alongside the addition of more than 29,000 seats. The move follows disruptions from the Middle East conflict that have constrained aviation operations and affected routes dependent on regional transit hubs.
💡Direct Thailand–Europe flights continue with altered flight paths, while passengers who previously transferred through Middle Eastern airports have shifted to direct services, leaving higher‑fare seats more commonly available.
US-Thailand
World Fuel has expanded its Air Elite network with the addition of MJets Company Limited in Thailand and Augusta Regional Airport Aviation Services in Georgia. MJets, based in Bangkok and Phuket, is one of Southeast Asia’s largest private aviation service providers, offering charter, ground handling, and maintenance, and holds IS-BAO and IS-BAH certifications.
💡Augusta Regional, located at Augusta Regional Airport (KAGS), serves business aviation traffic in the Central Savannah River Area with a 30‑acre ramp, NATA‑qualified line technicians, and guaranteed quick turns of 30 minutes or less.
Advanced Air Mobility
Advanced air mobility is gaining traction across China, with investments spanning batteries, testing infrastructure, and drone manufacturing as countries accelerate innovation and localize next-generation aviation technologies.
China
CALB has started mass production of aviation-grade batteries for Aridge, the flying car unit of Xpeng, with the first cells rolling off the line at its Chengdu plant. The high-silicon and high-nickel batteries, which feature energy density up to 360 Wh/kg and a maximum discharge rate of 25C, will power Aridge’s Land Aircraft Carrier.
💡CALB said the battery passed a 15.2-meter drop test without fire or explosion, and over 100,000 cells have been verified to meet both automotive and aviation airworthiness requirements.
China
China’s first national road-air integrated testing base has opened in Xinfeng county, Shaoguan, northern Guangdong, officially going into operation on March 20. Jointly built by five partners including the China Automotive Engineering Research Institute and GAC Group, the 573-hectare facility represents an investment of over 3.6 billion yuan and has been designated as the National Intelligent Connected Vehicle Quality Inspection and Testing Center (Guangdong) and a pilot platform for the province’s low-altitude economy.
💡The base uses a “three-in-one” architecture integrating low-altitude operations, physical test tracks, and laboratories, supporting over 100 test scenarios for autonomous vehicles and flying cars. Infrastructure includes a high-speed loop, a dynamic plaza, multiple taxiways, and vertical take-off and landing pads.
China
Shares in Arashi Vision fell 7 percent after the Insta360 camera maker was hit by a patent lawsuit filed by drone manufacturer DJI Technology. The Shenzhen-based DJI alleges that six patents involve technologies developed by former DJI employees within one year of their resignation, with the inventions closely related to tasks performed during their employment.
💡Arashi Vision said it is conducting an internal review. A person familiar with the matter noted that some inventors were listed as “requesting anonymity” in the domestic patent application but their real names were disclosed in corresponding international documents, revealing them as former DJI R&D personnel.
China-Kyrgyzstan
China is planning to build a drone manufacturing plant in Kyrgyzstan and deepen cooperation in smart agriculture following talks between Kyrgyz officials and Chinese tech firm Quanyibao. The Chinese side donated 12 UAVs to Kyrgyz authorities, intended for agricultural applications including crop protection, field monitoring, and precipitation induction.
💡Both sides are also exploring the establishment of a training center to develop local drone operation experience.
India
CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories has signed a technology transfer agreement with Chennai-based KRR Aerospace to mass produce the QPlane, an indigenous all-electric eVTOL UAV. The lightweight composite aircraft has a 20-kilometer operational range and is designed for defense surveillance, agricultural monitoring, and logistics delivery.
💡The partnership aligns with India’s “Make in India” initiative and aims to reduce dependence on imported drone components.
Marine
Maritime innovation is advancing with digitalization, green propulsion, and sustainable energy projects driving efficiency, decarbonization, and expanded regional trade capacity.
Australia
Australian startup CrewDex has launched a cloud-based Crew-as-a-Service platform designed to centralize crew management, travel logistics, and vessel operations for multi-vessel fleets. The system aims to address the maritime sector’s reliance on spreadsheets and disconnected tools by integrating recruitment, onboarding, rotations, certification tracking, and payroll-ready data into a single auditable platform.
💡The solution combines three core modules: the CrewDex Portal for crew lifecycle management, SkyNav for integrated flight bookings, and a Vessel Portal covering maintenance, safety management, and operational logs. The platform is offered on an annual subscription basis with unlimited vessel and staff access.
Germany-India
Hapag-Lloyd has signed three letters of intent with the Indian government covering vessel reflagging, ship recycling, and port development. The agreements include exploring reflagging up to four ships under the Indian registry, cooperation on ship recycling capacity aligned with EU standards with potential to handle up to 100 vessels, and discussions to support development of Vadhavan Port alongside the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority.
💡The company aims to grow India-related volumes to around 3 million TEU by 2030 as part of its strategy to expand in emerging markets.
Hong Kong-Mainland China
ePropulsion has opened the Green and Intelligent Ships Testing (GIST) Onshore Joint Debugging Laboratory in Songshan Lake, Dongguan, marking the first onshore joint debugging test platform for green and intelligent vessels in south China to be recognized by the China Classification Society. The 1,000-square-meter facility supports simulation and verification of multiple marine power system configurations, including fully electric and hybrid propulsion systems, with testing covering batteries, propulsion, power distribution, energy management, and cooling under simulated operating conditions.
💡The laboratory operates alongside a hydrodynamics facility and water application test base, enabling a process from design and simulation to onshore integration and vessel trials. ePropulsion said the platform allows companies in the Greater Bay Area to conduct CCS-aligned testing locally, shortening R&D cycles and reducing certification costs, and will be open to the industry for testing, certification support, standards development, and technical training.
Italy-Indonesia
Eni has taken final investment decisions for the Gendalo and Gandang gas project (South Hub) and the Geng North and Gehem fields (North Hub) offshore Indonesia, 18 months after development approval in 2024. The projects leverage existing infrastructure, including the Jangkrik FPU and Bontang LNG plant, and are set to deliver up to 2 bscfd of gas and 90,000 bpd of condensate at plateau in 2029.
💡The South Hub involves seven producing wells tied back to the Jangkrik FPU, while the North Hub includes 16 wells connected to a new FPSO. Total resources are nearly 10 tcf of gas and 550 million barrels of condensate. Start-up is expected in 2028, with the developments to be among assets Eni plans to contribute to a combination with Petronas.
Japan
The Japan Wind Power Association has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Global Wind Energy Council to accelerate offshore wind development in Japan. The agreement establishes a framework for collaboration to promote knowledge exchange, enhance industry and supply chain networks, and support sustainable growth in the sector.
💡Under the MOU, the organizations will facilitate business interactions through networking and trade events, organize capacity-building programs and workshops, and engage in regular dialogue to exchange best practices on offshore wind policy and regulatory frameworks.
Netherlands-Vietnam
APM Terminals has acquired a 49% stake in the Hateco Hai Phong International Container Terminal (HHIT) in northern Vietnam, becoming operating partner alongside Hateco Group following three years of joint development. The deepwater facility in Haiphong’s Lach Huyen area features two berths capable of handling vessels up to 18,000 TEU, positioning it as the largest such facility in the region with direct services linking northern Vietnam to Europe and the U.S.
💡The terminal has been selected for the Gemini Cooperation network operated by Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd.
Space
Space exploration and technology are rapidly advancing, with investments spanning lunar missions, autonomous systems, satellite communications, and on-orbit servicing, highlighting global collaboration and commercialization in the sector.
Australia
NASA has selected Intuitive Machines to carry Australia’s first lunar rover, Roo-ver, to the Moon’s South Pole region in 2030 under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. The CT-4 mission will also transport additional scientific instruments to support lunar environment research.
💡Roo-ver is being developed by the ELO2 consortium with approximately $42 million in funding from the Australian Space Agency’s Moon to Mars Initiative. The rover will carry an integrated NASA payload for scientific analysis, with the mission aimed at collecting surface data to support future human exploration and long-term sustainability efforts at the lunar South Pole.
Australia
The National Reconstruction Fund Corporation is investing $50 million in Advanced Navigation as part of a $158 million Series C round that values the company at over $1 billion. The Australian firm develops autonomous navigation systems that operate when GPS signals are unavailable, using AI-based inertial navigation technology for applications including mining, defense, aerospace, and space missions.
💡The investment will support expansion of Advanced Navigation’s hardware and software design and production in Australia, commercialize locally developed intellectual property, and build supply chain resilience. The company’s systems are designed for complex environments ranging from underground mines and rough seas to lunar operations.
China
China will begin soliciting proposals on April 1 for a space human research program targeting astronaut health during future space station missions and lunar landings. The initiative aims to create a space human atlas and research database, studying microgravity effects on bones, muscles, cardiovascular function, metabolism, cognition, and aging.
💡The program builds on space medicine experiments aboard the Tiangong station. China plans a crewed lunar landing by 2030, with one taikonaut set for a mission exceeding one year this year. Previous research includes the country’s first space organ chip study and the world’s first artificial blood vessel tissue chip experiment.
China
Sustain Space, a Chinese aerospace startup, has successfully demonstrated a flexible robotic arm in orbit, completing refueling simulations aboard the Yuxing-3 06 satellite launched March 16. Tests included autonomous, ground-controlled, and vision-guided refueling simulations, with the flexible continuum arm developed by Tsinghua University’s Shenzhen International Graduate School achieving precise docking at altitude.
💡The Suzhou-based company said the test advances on-orbit servicing capabilities for China’s commercial space sector. China previously launched the Shijian-25 satellite in January 2025 to verify satellite fuel replenishment technologies.
Japan
iSpace has delayed its first NASA-supported moon landing from 2027 to 2030 as part of a strategic shift to focus on lunar orbiter development. The Tokyo-based company cited a restructuring of its lander programs in Japan and the United States, with CEO Jumpei Nozaki stating that the company aims to secure a larger role in NASA’s Artemis program as the only private firm outside the U.S. with moon landing technology.
💡The company plans to launch five lunar orbiters by 2030 to provide telecommunications, navigation, and surface observation services. Its third lunar landing mission remains scheduled for 2028 under Japan’s commercial space program using a new lander. iSpace has faced two failed landing attempts, losses, and a declining share price since its 2023 stock market listing, and expects to trim its global workforce of approximately 300 employees as part of the restructuring.
Japan
SKY Perfect JSAT’s carve-out startup Orbital Lasers has raised ¥3.02 billion ($20 million) in a Series A round, bringing cumulative equity financing to ¥3.92 billion since its seed round. The company, which develops spaceborne laser systems, will transition from a consolidated subsidiary to an equity-method affiliate within the SKY Perfect JSAT Group, allowing faster decision-making and greater operational flexibility.
💡SKY Perfect JSAT will continue collaborating with Orbital Lasers to combine its satellite operations expertise with the startup’s advanced laser technologies, aiming to create new value in space optical communications and expand business opportunities in high-growth sectors. The funding round included a third-party allotment of new shares and issuance of J-KISS convertible instruments.
Japan-Switzerland
Space Compass Corporation, a joint venture between NTT and SKY Perfect JSAT, has agreed to purchase a GEO optical data relay satellite from Swiss manufacturer SWISSTo12. The compact HummingSat will support Space Compass’ planned optical data relay service, designed to enable real-time transmission of Earth observation data by connecting low-Earth orbit satellites with ground networks via geostationary orbit.
💡The system aims to eliminate delays in accessing satellite imagery, with potential applications in disaster response, maritime surveillance, and secure communications.
US-South Korea
NASA and the Korea AeroSpace Administration have expanded joint research into L4 and deep space exploration, holding their second bilateral team meeting from March 24 to 27 at the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute. The collaboration follows a September 2024 agreement focused on Sun-Earth Lagrange point 4 exploration, with cooperation now extending to areas including deep space optical communication.
💡The joint efforts aim to advance space weather observation and space radiation research, with L4 considered a promising vantage point for evaluating solar activity when combined with existing observation points at L1 and L5.
**Nothing in this article is intended to be or should be construed as legal or financial advice.**