Senior Mission Engineer
About the job
- A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
- At least 7 years of experience leading the design, development, verification, or operation of at least one spacecraft subsystem, such as guidance, navigation and control; communications; propulsion; thermal; structures and mechanisms; avionics and command and data handling; electrical power systems; flight software; or payload engineering.
- Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary technical activities beyond a single subsystem.
- Strong understanding of the complete spacecraft development lifecycle.
- Experience participating in major engineering design reviews.
- Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.
- Serve as the mission-level engineering focal point throughout the spacecraft development lifecycle.
- Lead multidisciplinary engineering teams to deliver spacecraft systems that satisfy mission objectives within approved cost and schedule constraints.
- Drive mission-level technical and programmatic decision-making by balancing mission performance, technical risk, cost, schedule, and implementation feasibility.
- Support the Mission Manager and EVP Mission Management Group in executing mission objectives and program milestones.
- Own and maintain mission requirements throughout the complete development lifecycle.
- Ensure requirements are properly allocated, verified, validated, and traced across spacecraft subsystems.
- Lead mission architecture development, Concept of Operations (ConOps), mission scenarios, and operational concepts.
- Coordinate mission-level trade studies and establish overall mission success criteria.
- Lead spacecraft system integration activities across engineering disciplines, including guidance, navigation and control; communications; propulsion; thermal; structures and mechanisms; electrical power systems; avionics and command and data handling; software; and payloads.
- Chair cross-functional technical discussions and facilitate engineering decisions.
- Resolve multidisciplinary technical conflicts by considering mission-level impacts rather than individual subsystem optimization.
- Lead mission-level risk identification, mitigation planning, and technical decision reviews.
- Monitor mission cost, schedule, technical performance, and development progress throughout the project lifecycle.
- Evaluate engineering changes for technical impact, schedule impact, cost impact, and mission risk.
- Support planning and execution of major project reviews, including SRR, PDR, CDR, IRR, TRR, FRR, and Mission Readiness Reviews.
- Coordinate engineering activities with suppliers, international partners, customers, and launch providers.
- Support spacecraft assembly, integration and test (AIT), launch campaign, launch and early orbit phase (LEOP), commissioning, and anomaly resolution activities.
- Improve mission engineering processes, tools, and methodologies.
- Develop analytical tools and dashboards for mission performance, technical margins, cost tracking, and schedule assessment.
- At least 10 years of experience in Mission Engineering, Spacecraft Systems Engineering, Technical Program Leadership, or Chief Engineering roles.
- Experience leading mission-level technical decisions involving multiple engineering disciplines.
- Experience managing or influencing project cost, schedule, technical performance, and risk.
- Experience developing mission architectures, ConOps, and mission requirements.
- Experience with spacecraft integration, environmental testing, launch campaigns, and mission operations.
- Familiarity with ECSS, NASA, ISO 15288, or INCOSE systems engineering practices.
- Experience with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) methodologies and digital engineering tools.
- Experience working with international development teams and commercial suppliers.
- Experience with lunar, planetary, or deep-space exploration missions.
About the company
ispace develops robotic lunar landers and rovers to provide high-frequency, low-cost transport of payloads to the Moon and to collect lunar data. Its offerings include Payload Services, which delivers customer payloads to lunar orbit or the surface, and Data Services, which provides lunar data to support mission planning and surface development. It differentiates itself by owning its own hardware, using agile development and off-the-shelf components to reduce costs, and pursuing multiple missions to build a steady lunar logistics flow with partners such as NASA under CLPS and the European Space Agency. The goal is to enable a growing lunar economy by making reliable, affordable Moon access and early lunar resource development, including water ice, available to scientists, governments, and industry.
Company Size
201-500
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Tokyo, Japan
Founded
2010
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- September 9, 2026, Shizuoka Bank provided ¥3 billion, extending mission-development liquidity.
- ESA signed the €65 million MAGPIE Phase 2 contract on July 24, 2026.
- July 16 and July 29, 2026, JSAT and MHI expanded Mission 3 communications and launch support.
What critics are saying
- Mission 2 failed from a Laser Range Finder hardware anomaly, not software, on June 24, 2025.
- March 27, 2026, ispace delayed the NASA CLPS mission to 2030 and cut staff.
- Two failed lunar landings plus ongoing losses force dilution, and another Mission 3 failure threatens insolvency.
What makes ispace unique
- July 29, 2026, Mission 3 pairs Japan’s H3 rocket with ispace’s ULTRA lander.
- ispace-EUROPE serves as ESA’s prime contractor for MAGPIE, Europe’s first lunar rover.
- The company operates across Japan, Luxembourg, and the United States, combining launch, rover, and data capability.
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Benefits
Housing Stipend
Paid Vacation
Remote Work Options
Flexible Work Hours
Health Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan
401(k) Company Match
Conference Attendance Budget
Professional Development Budget
Wellness Program
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
0%1 year growth
1%2 year growth
0%ispace-EUROPE and ALTEC partner for lunar rover testing and mission simulations. October 12, 2026 On October 12, 2026, Luxembourg-based ispace-EUROPE S.A. and Italian space engineering firm ALTEC S.p.A. signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on lunar rover testing, mission simulations, and operator training. Executed during the 77th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Antalya, Türkiye, the agreement establishes a framework to evaluate ispace-EUROPE's use of ALTEC's specialized testing facilities in Turin, Italy, to simulate robotic surface operations in analogue lunar environments. Analog testing infrastructure and simulation capabilities. Under the terms of the agreement, ispace-EUROPE and ALTEC will conduct feasibility assessments to support functional testing of lunar rover platforms, ancillary subsystems, and mobility payloads. The joint activities encompass system-level verification, operator rehearsals, and targeted training campaigns for ispace-EUROPE's mission operations team. The testing campaign will utilize ALTEC's planetary operations infrastructure in Turin. Owned jointly by Thales Alenia Space and the Italian Space Agency (ASI), ALTEC operates the Rover Operations Control Centre (ROCC), built for ESA's ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover. Additionally, ALTEC is constructing an ASI-funded Lunar Simulation Centre designed to replicate lunar surface soil mechanics, lighting conditions, and thermal environments for robotic exploration. Executive perspectives. Company leadership highlighted the importance of European testing infrastructure as commercial lunar missions scale. "Testing, simulation and operator training in analogue lunar environments are essential to successful lunar surface operations," stated Julien-Alexandre Lamamy, CEO of ispace-EUROPE. "By working with leading partners across Europe, like ALTEC, we can accelerate the development of robust, operationally ready rover systems that support future science, exploration and space resource utilisation missions on the Moon." "The development of our new Lunar Simulation Centre, funded by the Italian Space Agency, will provide an important platform for testing, simulation and operational support of robotic lunar missions," added Vincenzo Giorgio, CEO of ALTEC. Operational roadmap for lunar mobility. The collaboration provides ispace-EUROPE with access to European simulation assets as the company advances its family of surface rovers following ispace's commercial lunar lander deployments. The initial phase of joint technical evaluations will focus on verifying subsystem interfaces and operational protocols ahead of scheduled lunar surface missions.
Leonardo signs deal with ispace and Telespazio for lunar exploration. Published on 10/06/2026 at 07:36 am EDT Alliance News - Translated by Marketscreener - See original (Alliance News) - Leonardo Spa said Tuesday it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ispace and Telespazio, a joint venture 67% owned by Leonardo and 33% by Thales, to explore collaboration opportunities in developing lunar infrastructure and services for communications, positioning, navigation and timing, as well as in the lunar transportation sector. The new deal expands on the terms of the previous collaboration between ispace and Telespazio, dated 2025, including the possibility of exploring, according to a statement, "Leonardo's Space Division capabilities in space robotics and artificial intelligence applied to space exploration, while also expanding the scope of the collaboration to additional strategic areas such as interoperability, user access and the provision of lunar services to enhance communications, navigation and transportation." The MoU also provides for exploring the potential offered by ispace's orbital transfer vehicle to transport the Moonlight satellites to lunar orbit. Leonardo shares were down 2.2% at €47.23 per share on Tuesday. By Michele Cirulli, Alliance News reporter (C) Alliance News - 2026
ispace, a Tokyo-based space technology company focused on lunar exploration, has secured a three-year, ¥3 billion unsecured loan from Shizuoka Bank. The financing will fund working capital for lunar mission development and strengthen the company's liquidity position. The floating-rate facility will be repaid in a lump sum at maturity. It includes financial covenants requiring ispace to maintain positive net assets and at least ¥3 billion in cash and bank balances at each fiscal year-end. ispace expects no material impact on its earnings forecast for the year ending March 2027. The company aims to commercialise lunar transportation and services, positioning itself as a key player in the emerging private lunar economy. The financing arrangement is designed to support operational resilience and ongoing investment in lunar missions.
ESA greenlights MAGPIE lunar rover for 2029, Space brief 2 Sep 2026. ESA signs agreement for MAGPIE, its first lunar rover, targeting 2029 south pole water-ice prospecting. Starship Flight 14 to attempt first orbital insertion. Top stories. ESA greenlights MAGPIE, its first lunar rover, for 2029 south pole mission. ESA and ispace-Europe signed the implementation agreement for MAGPIE (Mission for Advanced Geophysics and Polar Ice Exploration) at the Space for Inspiration event in Copenhagen. The rover will operate for roughly 10 Earth days at the lunar south pole, carrying a drill, volatile analyser, ground-penetrating radar, and neutron detector to prospect for water ice and map subsurface geology. Launch is planned for 2029 in partnership with JAXA. MAGPIE is part of ESA's Moon Explore initiative, which aims to develop lunar capabilities faster and cheaper than traditional programs. The water-detection data will feed directly into planning for sustained human presence at the south pole. Read the full story: ESA Sixth all-female spacewalk replaces ISS camera and docking hardware. Two astronauts conducted the sixth all-female spacewalk in ISS history, replacing an external camera and a docking aid on the station. The EVA adds to a slow but steady count: the first all-female spacewalk was only in October 2019. SpaceX FCC filing reveals Starship Flight 14 will attempt orbit for the first time. An FCC filing shows Starship's fourteenth flight test will target actual orbital insertion, a first for the program. Every previous Starship flight, including Flight 13's Indian Ocean splashdown on July 24, flew suborbital arcs. Flight 14 would carry roughly 20 Starlink V3 satellites, each rated for about 1 Tbit/s downlink, and if orbital insertion succeeds, those satellites could enter operational service. The ship itself will splashdown rather than attempt a tower catch, which Musk pushed to "a few months" later. RS-25 engines installed on Artemis III core stage. NASA has installed the RS-25 engines on the Space Launch System core stage for Artemis III, the mission that will return astronauts to the lunar surface. These are heritage engines with flight history stretching back through the Space Shuttle program, now adapted with new controllers and nozzle hardware for SLS. Read the full story: NASA Trump nominates acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao for permanent role. President Trump announced the formal nomination of Hung Cao, who has served as acting Navy Secretary since April, to hold the position permanently. Cao was confirmed as the Navy's number-two civilian last October. With Army Secretary Dan Driscoll's resignation this week, two of three military service secretary seats are now filled in acting capacity. The Senate has limited working days before November midterms, making quick confirmation unlikely. House advances continuing resolution extending defense funding through Dec. 11. House lawmakers advanced a continuing resolution that extends government funding to December 11, matching the Senate's earlier action. The CR keeps weapons programs funded at fiscal 2026 levels and prevents troop pay interruptions and civilian furloughs. Potential automatic cuts to reconciliation funds remain a risk if certain spending targets are not met by October. SpaceX to launch 27 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg on booster's 35th flight. A Falcon 9 is scheduled to lift off from Vandenberg SFB at 0842 UTC Wednesday carrying 27 Starlink V2 Mini satellites. The first stage, B1063, will fly for the 35th time. SpaceX has been consolidating Starlink launches on the West Coast as Cape Canaveral infrastructure pivots toward Starship's East Coast debut. Satellite of the day. GONETS-M 13 - GONETS-M 13, launched in 2015 from Plesetsk on a Rokot vehicle, has exceeded its 5-7 year design life at 1,500 km altitude, still relaying data across Russia's remote polar regions. By the numbers. * Active satellites tracked: 15,878 * Cataloged debris objects: 14,906 * New objects cataloged yesterday: 2 * Orbital launches this year: 208 (201 successful) * Next launch: Electron | Owl Around The World (StriX Launch 11) in about 2 hours (Sep 2, 11:11 UTC) Catalog watch. Space-Track cataloged 2 new objects in its latest daily accounting (2026-09-01), alongside 28,401 updated element sets. Reentry watch. * STARLINK-4455 (53500) - predicted decay Sep 3, 07:13 UTC, window +/-10 h (track live) * COSMOS 1030 DEB (12907) - predicted decay Sep 3, 11:52 UTC, window +/-12 h (track live) * STARLINK-1279 (45360) - predicted decay Sep 4, 05:17 UTC, window +/-12 h (track live) * STARLINK-1595 (46159) - predicted decay Sep 4, 17:50 UTC, window +/-14 h (track live) * STARLINK-2159 (47745) - predicted decay Sep 5, 05:00 UTC, window +/-16 h (track live) Upcoming Space launches. Schedule changes. * Newly added: SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 | USSF-xxx ("R-2"), scheduled for Sep 10, 15:37 UTC. * Slipped: Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 15-23 moved from Sep 2, 07:46 UTC to Sep 2, 08:42 UTC. * Slipped: Electron | Owl Around The World (StriX Launch 11) moved from Sep 2, 11:00 UTC to Sep 2, 11:11 UTC. Next 48 hours. * Rocket Lab Electron - Owl Around The World (StriX Launch 11) from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand (Sep 2, 11:11 UTC) Synthetic aperture radar satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company Synspective. Watch Live * Indian Space Research Organization GSLV Mk. II - GISAT-1A (EOS-05) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India (Sep 3, 21:25 UTC) GISAT-1A (GEO Imaging Satellite) is an Indian earth observing satellite operating from geostationary orbit to facilitate continuous observation of Indian sub-continent, quick monitoring of natural hazards and disaster. Watch Live See every upcoming mission on the live schedule: Upcoming Launches Note: Launch dates and times are subject to change due to technical or weather considerations. Maurice Stellarski. Maurice Stellarski is the Chief Coordination Officer (CCO) of the Civilian Cardboard Command Center Protocol (CCCCP). With over 25 years of self-certified experience in NEATS (Non-Existent Aerospace Tracking Systems), Maurice specializes in predicting launches with uncanny accuracy using his proprietary KITCHEN (Knowledge Integration Technology Combined with Household Equipment Network) methodology. When not monitoring his mission control center, Maurice maintains the world's largest collection of mission-critical authorization stamps and hosts the underground podcast 'Countdown to Breakfast: Uncensored Launch News.'
China's iSpace raises first batch of series E funding for reusable rocketry. HELSINKI - Chinese reusable launch vehicle maker has secured a first batch of series E funding, months after a huge D++ round, with fundraising still ongoing. The funding is the opening raise of a planned series E round, securing iSpace nearly $148 million (1 billion yuan), according to STCN, a Chinese financial news outlet. The round was dominated by asset investment companies affiliated with China's major state banks, following a trend of such investment triggered by strong central government signalling of the strategic importance of commercial space. The new funding will go towards research and mass production of the Hyperbola-3 reusable launch vehicle, the capacity to manufacture the Focus-2 methane-liquid oxygen engine, launch and sea recovery infrastructure, and the pre-research of heavy-lift launch vehicle technology. The development follows iSpace securing a record $729 million in February this year, dedicated to reusable rocketry and expanding the company's industrial footprint. That round was driven by government industrial funds, state-linked strategic ecosystem investors, municipal and provincial investment vehicles and private equity. iSpace has been working towards a first launch of its first liquid propellant rocket, the Hyperbola-3, previously aiming for a test launch in 2025. The launcher has a reported payload capacity of 8,500 kilograms to low Earth orbit in reusable mode and 13,400 kg to LEO in expendable mode. The most recent statements call for the debut flight of the two-stage, 69-meters-long Hyperbola-3 before the end of 2026, with an attempted first stage recovery attempt as part of the mission. The company launched what it described as the country's first rocket recovery ship in August 2025, with the vessel subsequently undergoing testing. "Interstellar Return" is 100 meters long and 42 meters wide and is designed to recover the first stage of the Hyperbola-3 rocket and can accommodate recovery of other medium- and large-scale reusable rockets. China completed its first orbital booster recovery in July when another vessel, equipped with a net-capture system, caught the first stage of the first Long March 10B rocket. Landspace's Zhuque-3 was due to launch and make a second recovery attempt Aug. 10, but wind conditions apparently forced a rescheduling to an as yet undisclosed time, with the delay becoming apparent shortly after the explosion and loss of a Long March 7A rocket earlier Aug. 10. In terms of IPO, iSpace plans to list on the STAR Market in the second half of 2027, according to reports, following the expected debut of the Hyperbola-3. It is among a number of major commercial Chinese launch companies making such moves, along with Landspace, Orienspace, CAS Space, Space Pioneer and Galactic Energy. The moves come amid a wider wave of capital flowing into China's commercial space sector. The company became the first Chinese commercial firm to reach orbit in July 2019 with the Hyperbola-1 solid rocket, yet the launcher has since flown just seven more times, including four failures. The latest mission flew, successfully, in July 2025. iSpace faces strong competition, with Landspace having successfully reached orbit with Zhuque-3, Galactic Energy set to debut Pallas-1 in the near future, CAS Space reaching orbit with Kinetica-2, and Space Pioneer having already made a launch attempt with Tianlong-3. The companies are competing for launch contracts for China's megaconstellations, with launch reliability, recovery and reuse, and cadence likely determining their success or otherwise.