★Top 10 Popular Themes

1. Energy Storage/Batteries

2. Defense

3. Rare Earths

4. Regional Banks

5. Semiconductors

6. Drones

7. TOPIX Core 30

8. Perovskite Solar Cells

9. JPX-Nikkei 400

10. Fertilizers

The "Space Development" theme has climbed to 11th place in the "Popular Theme Rankings" compiled by Minkabu and Kabutan.

NASA launched a crewed spacecraft bound for lunar orbit from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7:35 a.m. Japan time on the 2nd. According to NASA, the spacecraft subsequently entered its planned orbit and the launch was declared a success. This marks the first crewed lunar flyby mission since the Apollo 17 moon landing in 1972, approximately half a century ago, and is part of the Artemis program aimed at returning humans to the lunar surface.

Under the Artemis program, the unmanned Artemis I mission orbited the moon in 2022. The current Artemis II mission will not involve a lunar landing but is scheduled for a 10-day mission to fly over the moon before returning to Earth. The mission will validate equipment safety and other factors, with a lunar landing planned for Artemis IV in 2028.

Following the successful launch, space development-related stocks attracted buying in the Tokyo market on the 2nd. ispace, inc. <9348>, which develops lunar landers, QPS Holdings, a small satellite developer, Astroscale Holdings, which focuses on space debris removal technology, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries,Ltd. <7011>, which is engaged in rocket development, all advanced. While ispace saw profit-taking on the day, related stocks generally showed firm performance.

Source: MINKABU PRESS