Kurita Water Industries : Discovery of Inappropriate Incident in Analytical Service at Kurita Analysis Service Co., Ltd.

Kurita Water Industries Ltd. (Head office: Nakano-ku, Tokyo; President: Hirohiko Ejiri; hereinafter "Kurita") has been selected for the "Element prototype testing for the water purification process" (hereinafter the "Study"). The Study is part of a competitive solicitation by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), entitled "Detailed design of a ground demonstration plant and element prototype testing for the realization of a lunar propellant^(*1) production plant". The selection of Kurita's proposal in JAXA's open call for proposals regarding the lunar propellant production plant marks the third consecutive year, following fiscal 2024^(*2) and 2025^(*3).

Within the international space exploration framework, the exploration of the lunar surface and its vicinity is advancing as the initial step toward humanity's goal of reaching Mars. In Japan, research and development for sustainable lunar and Mars exploration is being conducted in line with JAXA's "Japan's International Space Exploration Scenario (Draft) 2025". Against this backdrop, initiatives to construct a plant on the lunar surface to produce oxygen and hydrogen as propellants for spacecraft from water contained in regolith^(*4) found on the Moon (hereinafter "lunar regolith") are accelerating, aiming to realize the utilization of lunar water resources.

The Study will conduct tests and studies related to the water purification process, among the elements^(*5) required for the construction of the ground demonstration plant (hereinafter the "Plant"), based on the results of the conceptual design for fiscal 2024 and the basic design for fiscal 2025 for the small-scale plant that will conduct ground-based technical demonstrations toward the realization of a lunar propellant production plant. Using feed water simulating water extracted from lunar regolith, Kurita will verify technologies for removing ammonia and methanol from the feed water, investigate factors that cause performance degradation in water purification systems, and conduct performance degradation evaluation tests under long-term operating conditions. Then, these results will be compiled into a final report and submitted to JAXA within fiscal 2026.

The Kurita Group has been advancing various initiatives to apply the technologies and insights cultivated over many years in the water treatment field to the space sector, including demonstration testing of its water reclamation system in space on the International Space Station (ISS) with JAXA. Kurita will continue to collaborate with various public and private entities involved in space development to develop water recovery and purification technologies for space and to establish sustainable space facilities, aiming to support humanity's challenge to explore space. Furthermore, we will also leverage insights gained from R&D in the space field to create and provide solutions, helping to address social and industrial challenges here on Earth and contributing to the realization of a sustainable society.

Notes)

• *1: Propellant refers to combustible chemicals primarily used to propel rockets and other spacecraft.
• *2: A news release on November 6, 2024: Kurita Selects for JAXA's Open Planning Competition of the Study of "Elemental Prototype Testing for Water Purification and Electrolysis Processes to Realize a Lunar Propellant Production Plant".
• *3: A news release on July 4, 2025: Kurita Selected in JAXA's Open Planning Competition of the Study of "Elemental Prototype Testing for Water Purification and Electrolysis Processes to Realize a Lunar Propellant Production Plant" for the 2nd Consecutive Year.
• *4: The layer of loose material covering the surface of celestial bodies. Lunar regolith is a fine, sand-like material, and recent observations suggest that it may contain ice or water.
• *5: In considering the lunar propellant production plant for this project, the elements include drilling, extraction, condensation/purification, electrolysis, liquefaction, storage, and propellant filling.

Please note that the contents of the news release are information as of the date of announcement and may be changed without notice.