A research project involving members of the Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, has been selected under the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Space Strategy Fund (2nd Phase).

The project, titled “Development of a Flight Model for Water and Metal Element Exploration Equipment and Actual Measurement of Lunar Resource Quantities,” aims to establish technologies for exploring water and metallic elements as potential lunar resources. The project was officially approved on February 10, 2026, marking the launch of the LUNAR-RABBIT Project.

The research team will develop four observation instruments designed to measure the concentration and mineral composition of elements on the lunar surface. These instruments include a wide-angle spectroscopic camera, neutron and gamma-ray sensors, a laser-induced plasma emission spectrometer (LIBS), and a microscopic spectroscopic camera. By combining these technologies, the project aims to identify resource elements, evaluate their abundance, and determine how they are incorporated into lunar minerals.

In addition to resource exploration, the observation system is expected to contribute to the acquisition of lunar environmental data, including geological characteristics and radiation conditions relevant to future lunar exploration and infrastructure development.

Researchers from UTOPS are participating in the project as part of a broad industry–academia collaboration involving universities, research institutes, and private companies.