TheJapan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) (国立研究開発法人宇宙航空研究開発機構,Kokuritsu-kenkyū-kaihatsu-hōjin Uchū Kōkū Kenkyū Kaihatsu Kikō;lit.'National Research and Development Agency Aerospace Research and Development Organisation') is the Japanese nationalair andspace agency. Through the merger of three previously independent organizations, JAXA was formed on 1 October 2003. JAXA is responsible for research, technology development and launch ofsatellites intoorbit, and is involved in many more advanced missions such asasteroid exploration and possible humanexploration of the Moon.[2] Its motto isOne JAXA[3] and its corporate slogan isExplore to Realize (formerlyReaching for the skies, exploring space).[4]
Before the merger, ISAS was responsible forspace and planetary research, while NAL was focused on aviation research. ISAS had been most successful in its space program in the field ofX-ray astronomy during the 1980s and 1990s. Another successful area for Japan has beenVery Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) with theHALCA mission. Additional success was achieved with solar observation and research of themagnetosphere, among other areas.
NASDA, which was founded on 1 October 1969, had developedrockets, satellites, and also built theJapanese Experiment Module. The old NASDA headquarters were located at the current site of theTanegashima Space Center, onTanegashima Island, 115 kilometers south ofKyūshū. NASDA was mostly active in the field of communication satellite technology. However, since the satellite market of Japan is completely open, the first time a Japanese company won a contract for a civilian communication satellite was in 2005. Another prime focus of the NASDA body is Earthclimate observation. NASDA also trained the Japanese astronauts who flew with the USSpace Shuttles.[6]
JAXA was awarded theSpace Foundation's John L. "Jack" Swigert Jr., Award for Space Exploration in 2008.[8]
Planning interplanetary research missions can take many years. Due to the lag time between these interplanetary events and mission planning time, opportunities to gain new knowledge about the cosmos might be lost. To prevent this, JAXA began commencing smaller and faster missions from 2010 onward.
In 2012, new legislation extended JAXA's remit from peaceful purposes only to include some military space development, such as missile early warning systems. Political control of JAXA passed from MEXT to the Prime Minister'sCabinet Office through a new Space Strategy Office.[9]
JAXA used theH-IIA (H "two" A) rocket from the former NASDA body as amedium-lift launch vehicle. JAXA has also developed a new medium-lift vehicleH3, that replaced H-II series. For smaller launch needs, JAXA uses theEpsilon rocket. For experiments in the upper atmosphere JAXA uses theSS-520,S-520, andS-310sounding rockets.
Other historical, nowadays retired, JAXA orbital rockets are as follows:Mu rocket family (M-V) andH-IIB.
Japan launched its first satellite,Ohsumi, in 1970, using ISAS'L-4S rocket. Prior to the merger, ISAS used smallMu rocket family of solid-fueled launch vehicles, while NASDA developed larger liquid-fueled launchers. In the beginning, NASDA used licensed American models.[10]
The first model of liquid-fueled launch vehicle developed domestically in Japan was theH-II, introduced in 1994. NASDA developed the H-II with two goals in mind: to be able to launch satellites using only its own technology, such as the ISAS, and to dramatically improve its launch capability over previous licensed models. To achieve these two goals, astaged combustion cycle was adopted for the first stage engine, theLE-7. The combination of theliquid hydrogen two-stage combustion cycle first stage engine andsolid rocket boosters was carried over to its successor, the H-IIA and H-IIB and became the basic configuration of Japan's liquid fuel launch vehicles for 30 years, from 1994 to 2024.[10]
In 2003, JAXA was formed by merging Japan's three space agencies to streamline Japan's space program, and JAXA took over operations of theH-IIA liquid-fueled launch vehicle, theM-V solid-fuel launch vehicle, and several observation rockets from each agency. The H-IIA is a launch vehicle that improved reliability while reducing costs by making significant improvements to the H-II, and the M-V was the world's largest solid-fuel launch vehicle at the time.[10]
In November 2003, JAXA's first launch after its inauguration, H-IIA No. 6, failed, but all other H-IIA launches were successful, and as of June 2025, the H-IIA had successfully launched 48 of its 49 launches. JAXA ended H-IIA operations by retiring it with H-IIA Flight No. 50, that was launched on 28 June 2025.[11]
To be able to launch smaller mission on JAXA developed a new solid-fueled rocket, theEpsilon as a replacement to the retiredM-V. The maiden flight successfully happened in 2013. So far, the rocket has flown six times with one launch failure.
In January 2017, JAXA attempted and failed to put a miniature satellite into orbit atop one of its SS520 series rockets.[13] A second attempt on 2 February 2018 was successful, putting a four kilogram CubeSat into Earth orbit. The rocket, known as the SS-520-5, is the world's smallest orbital launcher.[14]
In 2023, JAXA began operating theH3, which will replace the H-IIA and H-IIIB; the H3 is a liquid-fueled launch vehicle developed from a completely new design like the H-II, rather than an improved development like the H-IIA and H-IIB, which were based on the H-II. The design goal of the H3 is to increase launch capability at a lower cost than the H-IIA and H-IIB. To achieve this, anexpander bleed cycle was used for the first time in the world for the first stage of the engine.[15][16][17]
Japan's first missions beyond Earth orbit were the 1985Halley's comet observation spacecraftSakigake (MS-T5) andSuisei (PLANET-A). To prepare for future missions, ISAS tested Earth swing by orbits with theHiten lunar mission in 1990. The first Japanese interplanetary mission was the Mars OrbiterNozomi (PLANET-B), which was launched in 1998. It passed Mars in 2003, but failed to reach Mars orbit due to maneuvering systems failures earlier in the mission. Currently interplanetary missions remain at the ISAS group under the JAXA umbrella. However, for FY 2008 JAXA is planning to set up an independent working group within the organization. New head for this group will beHayabusa project manager Kawaguchi.[18][needs update]
On 9 May 2003,Hayabusa (meaningPeregrine falcon), was launched from anM-V rocket. The goal of the mission was to collect samples from a smallnear-Earth asteroid named25143 Itokawa. The craftrendezvoused with the asteroid in September 2005. It was confirmed that the spacecraft successfully landed on the asteroid in November 2005, after some initial confusion regarding the incoming data.Hayabusa returned to Earth with samples from the asteroid on 13 June 2010.
Hayabusa was the world's first spacecraft to return asteroid samples to Earth and the world's first spacecraft to make a round trip to a celestial body farther from Earth than the Moon.[19]
Hayabusa2 was launched in 2014 and returned samples from asteroid162173 Ryugu to Earth in 2020.[19]
AfterHiten in 1990, JAXA planned a lunar penetrator mission calledLUNAR-A but after delays due to technical problems, the project was terminated in January 2007. The seismometer penetrator design for LUNAR-A may be reused in a future mission.
On 14 September 2007, JAXA succeeded in launching the lunar orbit explorerKaguya, also known as SELENE, on anH-2A rocket (costing 55 billion yen including launch vehicle), the largest such mission since theApollo program. Its mission was to gather data on theMoon's origin and evolution. It entered lunar orbit on 4 October 2007.[20][21] After 1 year and 8 months, it impacted the lunar surface on 10 June 2009 at 18:25 UTC.
JAXA launched its first lunar surface missionSLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) in 2023. It successfully soft landed on 19 January 2024 at 15:20 UTC, making Japan the 5th country to do so.[22][23] The main goal of SLIM was to improve the accuracy of spacecraft landing on the Moon and to land a spacecraft within 100 meters of its target, which no spacecraft had achieved before. SLIM landed 55 meters from the target landing site, and JAXA announced that it was the world's first successful "pinpoint landing.[24] Although it landed successfully, it landed with the solar panels oriented westwards, facing away from the Sun at the start oflunar day, thereby failing to generate enough power.[25] The lander operated on internal battery power, which was fully drained that day. The mission's operators hope that the lander will wake up after a few days when sunlight should hit the solar panels.[26]
Two rovers, LEV 1 and 2, deployed during hovering just before final landing are working as expected with LEV-1 communicating independently to the ground stations.[26] LEV-1 conducted seven hops over 107 minutes on the lunar surface. Images taken by LEV-2 show that it landed in the wrong attitude with loss of an engine nozzle during descent and even possible sustained damage to lander's Earth bound antenna which is not pointed towards Earth.[27] The mission was considered fully successful after confirmation that its primary goal, landing within 100 m (330 ft) of the target was achieved, despite subsequent issues.[28][29][27]
On 29 January, the lander resumed operations after being shut down for a week. JAXA said it re-established contact with the lander and its solar cells were working again after a shift in lighting conditions allowed it to catch sunlight.[30] After that, SLIM was put into sleep mode due to the approaching harshlunar night where temperatures reach −120 °C (−184 °F). SLIM was expected to operate only for one lunar daylight period, which lasts for 14 Earth days, and the on-board electronics were not designed to withstand the nighttime temperatures on the Moon. On 25 February 2024, JAXA sent wake-up calls and found SLIM had successfully survived the night on the lunar surface while maintaining communication capabilities. At that time it was solar noon on the Moon so the temperature of the communications equipment was extremely high, so communication was terminated after only a short period of time. JAXA is now preparing for resumed operations, once the temperature has fallen sufficiently. The feat of surviving lunar night without aRadioisotope heater unit had only been achieved by some landers inSurveyor Program.[31]
Japan's planetary missions have so far been limited to theinner Solar System, and emphasis has been put onmagnetospheric and atmospheric research. TheMars explorerNozomi (PLANET-B), which ISAS launched prior to the merger of the three aerospace institutes, became one of the earliest difficulties the newly formed JAXA faced. Nozomi ultimately passed 1,000 km from the surface of Mars. On 20 May 2010, theVenus Climate OrbiterAkatsuki (PLANET-C) andIKAROS solar sail demonstrator was launched by aH-2A launch vehicle.
On 7 December 2010, Akatsuki was unable to complete its Venus orbit insertion maneuver. Akatsuki finally entered Venus orbit on 7 December 2015, making it the first Japanese spacecraft to orbit another planet, sixteen years after the originally planned orbital insertion of Nozomi. One of Akatsuki's main goal is to uncover the mechanism behind Venus atmosphere'ssuper-rotation, a phenomenon in which the cloud top winds in the troposphere circulates around the planet faster than the speed that Venus itself rotates. A thorough explanation for this phenomenon has yet been found.
JAXA/ISAS was part of the internationalLaplaceJupiter mission proposal from its foundation. A Japanese contribution was sought in the form of an independent orbiter to research Jupiter's magnetosphere,JMO (Jupiter Magnetospheric Orbiter). Although JMO never left the conception phase, ISAS scientists will see their instruments reaching Jupiter on the ESA-ledJUICE (Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer) mission. JUICE is a reformulation of the ESAGanymede orbiter from the Laplace project. JAXA's contribution includes providing components of the RPWI (Radio & Plasma Wave Investigation), PEP (Particle Environment Package), GALA (GAnymede Laser Altimeter) instruments.
JAXA is reviewing a new spacecraft mission to the Martian system; a sample return mission toPhobos calledMMX (Martian Moons Explorer).[32][33] First revealed on 9 June 2015, MMX's primary goal is to determine the origin of theMartian moons.[34] Alongside collecting samples from Phobos, MMX will performremote sensing ofDeimos, and may also observe theatmosphere of Mars as well.[35] As of December 2023, MMX is to be launched in fiscal year 2026.[36]
On 9 August 2004, ISAS successfully deployed two prototypesolar sails from a sounding rocket. A clover-type sail was deployed at 122 km altitude and a fan type sail was deployed at 169 km altitude. Both sails used 7.5micrometer-thick film.
ISAS tested a solar sail again as a sub-payload to theAkari (ASTRO-F) mission on 22 February 2006. However the solar sail did not deploy fully. ISAS tested a solar sail again as a sub payload of theSOLAR-B launch at 23 September 2006, but contact with the probe was lost.
TheIKAROS solar sail was launched in May 2010 and successfully demonstrated solar sail technology in July. This made IKAROS the world's first spacecraft to successfully demonstrate solar sail technology in interplanetary space. The goal is to have a solar sail mission to Jupiter after 2020.[37]
The first Japanese astronomy mission was the X-ray satellite Hakucho (CORSA-b), which was launched in 1979. Later ISAS moved into solar observation, radio astronomy through spaceVLBI and infrared astronomy.
Japan's infrared astronomy began with the 15-cmIRTS telescope which was part of theSFU multipurpose satellite in 1995. ISAS also gave ground support for theESAInfrared Space Observatory (ISO) infrared mission.
JAXA's first infrared astronomy satellite was theAkari spacecraft, with the pre-launch designationASTRO-F. This satellite was launched on 21 February 2006. Its mission isinfrared astronomy with a 68 cm telescope. This is the first all sky survey since the first infrared missionIRAS in 1983.(A 3.6 kgnanosatellite namedCUTE-1.7 was also released from the same launch vehicle.)[38]
JAXA is also doing further R&D for increasing the performance of its mechanical coolers for its future infrared mission,SPICA. This would enable a warm launch without liquid helium. SPICA has the same size as the ESAHerschel Space Observatory mission, but is planned to have a temperature of just 4.5 K and will be much colder. Unlike Akari, which had ageocentric orbit, SPICA will be located at Sun–EarthL2. The launch is expected in 2027 or 2028 on JAXA's newH3 Launch Vehicle, however the mission is not yet fully funded. ESA andNASA may also each contribute an instrument.[39] The SPICA mission was cancelled in 2020.
Starting from 1979 withHakucho (CORSA-b), for nearly two decades Japan had achieved continuous observation. However, in the year 2000 the launch of ISAS's X-ray observation satellite,ASTRO-E failed (as it failed at launch it never received a proper name).
Then on 10 July 2005, JAXA was finally able to launch a newX-ray astronomy mission namedSuzaku (ASTRO-EII). This launch was important for JAXA, because in the five years since the launch failure of the original ASTRO-E satellite, Japan was without anx-ray telescope. Three instruments were included in this satellite: anX-ray spectrometer (XRS), anX-ray imaging spectrometer (XIS), and ahard X-ray detector (HXD). However, the XRS was rendered inoperable due to a malfunction which caused the satellite to lose its supply of liquid helium.
The next JAXA x-ray mission is theMonitor of All-sky X-ray Image (MAXI). MAXI continuously monitors astronomical X-ray objects over a broad energy band (0.5 to 30 keV). MAXI is installed on the Japanese external module of the ISS.[40] On 17 February 2016,Hitomi (ASTRO-H) was launched as the successor to Suzaku, which completed its mission a year before.
Japan's solar astronomy started in the early 1980s with the launch of theHinotori (ASTRO-A) X-ray mission. TheHinode (SOLAR-B) spacecraft, the follow-on to the joint Japan/US/UKYohkoh (SOLAR-A) spacecraft, was launched on 23 September 2006 by JAXA.[41][42] A SOLAR-C can be expected sometime after 2020. However no details are worked out yet other than it will not be launched with the former ISAS's Mu rockets. Instead a H-2A from Tanegashima could launch it. As H-2A is more powerful, SOLAR-C could either be heavier or be stationed atL1 (Lagrange point 1).
In 1997, Japan launched theHALCA (MUSES-B) mission, the world's first spacecraft dedicated to conduct space VLBI observations of pulsars, among others. To do so, ISAS set up a ground network around the world through international cooperation. The observation part of the mission lasted until 2003 and the satellite was retired at the end of 2005. In FY 2006, Japan funded theASTRO-G as the succeeding mission. ASTRO-G was canceled in 2011.
One of the primary duties of the former NASDA body was the testing of new space technologies, mostly in the field of communication. The first test satellite was ETS-I, launched in 1975. However, during the 1990s, NASDA was afflicted by problems surrounding the ETS-VI and COMETS missions.
In February 2018, JAXA announced a research collaboration withSony to test alaser communication system from the Kibo module in late 2018.[43]
In January 2025, it was reported that JAXA is collaborating withJapan Airlines and O-Well Corporation to test a riblet-shaped coating on the airline'sBoeing 787-9 Dreamliner that would reduceaerodynamic drag and improvefuel efficiency. The coating is capable of reducing drag by 0.24%, leading to the savings of 119 tons of fuel and 381 tons ofCO2 emissions per plane per annum.[citation needed]
Testing of communication technologies remains to be one of JAXA's key duties in cooperation withNICT.
To upgrade Japan's communication technology the Japanese state launched the i-Space initiative with the ETS-VIII and WINDS missions.[44]
ETS-VIII was launched on 18 December 2006. The purpose ofETS-VIII is to test communication equipment with two very large antennas and an atomic clock test. On 26 December both antennas were successfully deployed. This was not unexpected, since JAXA tested the deployment mechanism before with the LDREX-2 Mission, which was launched on 14 October with the European Ariane 5. The test was successful.
On 23 February 2008, JAXA launched the Wideband InterNetworking engineering test and Demonstration Satellite (WINDS), also called "KIZUNA". WINDS aimed to facilitate experiments with faster satellite Internet connections. The launch, usingH-IIA launch vehicle 14, took place fromTanegashima Space Center.[45] WINDS was decommissioned on 27 February 2019.[46]
On 11 September 2010, JAXA launched QZS-1 (Michibiki-1), the first satellite of theQuasi Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), a subsystem of the global positioning system (GPS). Three more followed in 2017, and a replacement for QZS-1 is scheduled to launch in late 2021. A next-generation set of three satellites, able to operate independent of GPS, is scheduled to begin launching in 2023.
On 24 August 2005, JAXA launched the experimental satellitesOICETS andINDEX on a UkrainianDnepr rocket. OICETS (Kirari) is a mission tasked with testing optical links with theEuropean Space Agency (ESA)ARTEMIS satellite, which is around 40,000 km away from OICETS. The experiment was successful on 9 December, when the link could be established. In March 2006, JAXA could establish with OICETS the worldwide first optical links between a LEO satellite and a ground station first in Japan and in June 2006 with a mobile station in Germany.
INDEX (Reimei) is a small 70 kg satellite for testing various equipment, and functions as anaurora observation mission as well. The Reimei satellite is currently in its extended mission phase.
Japan's first Earth observation satellites were MOS-1a and MOS-1b launched in 1987 and 1990. During the 1990s, and the new millennium this NASDA program came under heavy fire, because both Adeos (Midori) andAdeos 2 (Midori 2) satellites failed after just ten months in orbit.
In January 2006, JAXA successfully launched theAdvanced Land Observation Satellite (ALOS/Daichi). Communication between ALOS and the ground station in Japan will be done through the Kodama Data Relay Satellite, which was launched during 2002. This project is under intense pressure due to the shorter than expected lifetime of the ADEOS II (Midori) Earth Observation Mission. For missions following Daichi, JAXA opted to separate it into a radar satellite (ALOS-2) and an optical satellite, (ALOS-3). ALOS 2 SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite was launched in May 2014. The ALOS-3 satellite was aboard aH3 rocket in March 2023, but the satellite was lost in a launch failure when the second stage failed to ignite.ALOS-4, 2's SAR successor, was launched successfully in July 2024. A true successor to ALOS-3 is planned to launch around 2027.
Since Japan is an island nation and gets struck by typhoons every year, research about the dynamics of the atmosphere is a very important issue. For this reason Japan launched in 1997 theTRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) satellite in cooperation with NASA, to observe the tropical rainfall seasons. For further research NASDA had launched the ADEOS and ADEOS II missions in 1996 and 2003. However, due to various reasons,[specify] both satellites had a much shorter than expected life term.
On 28 February 2014, a H-2A rocket launched theGPM Core Observatory, a satellite jointly developed by JAXA and NASA. The GPM mission is the successor to the TRMM mission, which by the time of the GPM launch had been noted as highly successful. JAXA provided theGlobal Precipitation Measurement/Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (GPM/DPR) Instrument for this mission. Global Precipitation Measurement itself is a satellite constellation, whilst the GPM Core Observatory provides a new calibration standard for other satellites in the constellation. Other countries/agencies like France, India, ESA, etc. provides the sub-satellites. The aim of GPM is to measure global rainfall with unprecedented detail.
At the end of the 2008 fiscal year, JAXA launched the satelliteGOSAT (Greenhouse Gas Observing SATellite) to help scientists determine and monitor the density distribution ofcarbon dioxide in theatmosphere. The satellite is being jointly developed by JAXA and Japan'sMinistry of the Environment. JAXA is building the satellite while the Ministry is in charge of the data that will be collected. Since the number of ground-based carbon dioxide observatories cannot monitor enough of the world's atmosphere and are distributed unevenly throughout the globe, the GOSAT may be able to gather more accurate data and fill in the gaps on the globe where there are no observatories on the ground. Sensors formethane and othergreenhouse gasses are also being considered for the satellite, although the plans are not yet finalized. The satellite weighs approximately 1650 kg and is expected to have a life span of five years.
The successor satelliteGOSAT 2 was launched in October 2018.
The next funded Earth-observation mission after GOSAT is the GCOM (Global Change Observation Mission) Earth-observation program as a successor to ADEOS II (Midori) and theAqua mission. To reduce the risk and for a longer observation time the mission will be split into smaller satellites. Altogether GCOM will be a series of six satellites. The first satellite,GCOM-W (Shizuku), was launched on 17 May 2012 with the H-IIA. The second satellite,GCOM-C (Shikisai), was launched in 2017.
For weather observation Japan launched in February 2005 the Multi-Functional Transport Satellite 1R (MTSAT-1R). The success of this launch was critical for Japan, since the original MTSAT-1 could not be put into orbit because of a launch failure with the H-2 rocket in 1999. Since then Japan relied for weather forecasting on an old satellite which was already beyond its useful life term and on American systems.
On 18 February 2006, JAXA, as head of the H-IIA at this time, successfully launched the MTSAT-2 aboard a H-2A rocket. MTSAT-2 is the backup to the MTSAT-1R. The MTSAT-2 uses theDS2000 satellite bus developed by Mitsubishi Electric.[47] The DS2000 is also used for the DRTS Kodama, ETS-VIII and the Superbird 7 communication satellite, making it the first commercial success for Japan.
As a secondary mission both the MTSAT-1R and MTSAT-2 help to direct air traffic.
DESTINY+: Small-scale technology demonstrator which will also conduct scientific observations of asteroid3200 Phaethon
JASMINE: an astrometric telescope similar to theGaia mission but operating in the infrared (2.2 μm) and specifically targeting the Galactic plane and center, whereGaia's results are impaired by dust absorption.
For the 2023EarthCARE mission withESA, JAXA will provide the radar system on the satellite. JAXA will provide the Auroral Electron Sensor (AES) for the Taiwanese FORMOSAT-5.[53]
XEUS: joint X-Ray telescope with ESA, originally planned for launch after 2015. Cancelled and replaced byATHENA.
TheSpacelab-J shuttle flight, funded by Japan, included several tons of Japanese science research equipment.
Japan has ten astronauts but has not yet developed its own crewed spacecraft and is not currently developing one officially. A potentially crewedspaceplaneHOPE-X project launched by the conventional space launcherH-II was developed for several years (including test flights ofHYFLEX/OREX prototypes) but was postponed. The simpler crewed capsuleFuji was proposed but not adopted. Projects forsingle-stage-to-orbit, horizontal takeoffreusable launch vehicle and landing ASSTS[citation needed] and thevertical takeoff and landingKankoh-maru also exist but have not been adopted.
The first Japanese citizen to fly in space wasToyohiro Akiyama, a journalist sponsored byTBS, who flew on theSovietSoyuz TM-11 in December 1990. He spent more than seven days in space on theMir space station, in what the Soviets called their first commercial spaceflight which allowed them to earn $14 million.
Japan participates in US and international crewed space programs including flights of Japanese astronauts on RussianSoyuz spacecraft to theISS. One Space Shuttle mission (STS-47) in September 1992 was partially funded by Japan. This flight included JAXA's first astronaut in space,Mamoru Mohri, as the Payload Specialist for the Spacelab-J, one of the European builtSpacelab modules. This mission was also designatedJapan.
Three other NASA Space Shuttle missions (STS-123,STS-124,STS-127) in 2008–2009 delivered parts of the Japanese built spacelab-moduleKibō to ISS.
Japanese plans for a crewed lunar landing were in development but were shelved in early 2010 due to budget constraints.[56]
In June 2014, Japan's science and technology ministry said it was considering a space mission toMars. In a ministry paper it indicated uncrewed exploration, crewed missions to Mars and long-term settlement on theMoon were objectives, for which international cooperation and support was going to be sought.[57]
On 18 October 2017, JAXA discovered a "tunnel"-likelava tube under the surface of the Moon .[58][failed verification] The tunnel appears to be suitable as a location for a base of operations for peaceful crewed space missions, according to JAXA.
Besides the H-IIA/B andEpsilon rockets, JAXA is also developing technology for a next-generationsupersonic transport that could become the commercial replacement for theConcorde. The design goal of the project (working nameNext Generation Supersonic Transport) is to develop a jet that can carry 300 passengers atMach 2. A subscale model of the jet underwent aerodynamic testing in September and October 2005 in Australia.[59]
In 2015, JAXA performed tests aimed at reducing the effects of supersonic flight under the D-SEND program.[60] The economic success of such a project is still unclear, and as a consequence the project has been met with limited interest from Japanese aerospace companies like Mitsubishi Heavy Industries so far.[citation needed]
Tsukuba Space Center (TKSC) inTsukuba,Ibaraki. This is the center of Japan's space network. It is involved in research and development of satellites and rockets, and tracking and controlling of satellites. It develops experimental equipment for the Japanese Experiment Module ("Kibo"). Training of astronauts also takes place here. ForInternational Space Station operations, the Japanese Flight Control Team is located at the Space Station Integration & Promotion Center (SSIPC) in Tsukuba. SSIPC communicates regularly with ISS crewmembers via S-band audio.[61]
Usuda Deep Space Center (UDSC) is a spacecraft tracking station inSaku, Nagano (originally inUsuda, Nagano; Usuda merged into Saku in 2005), the first deep-space antenna constructed with beam-waveguide technology, and for many years, Japan's only ground station for communication with interplanetary spacecraft in deep space. Opening in 1984, the 64 meter antenna, built byMitsubishi Electric, primarily operated in the X- and S-band frequencies.[62][63] Upon completion in 2021, MDSS succeeded UDSC as the primary antenna for JAXA's Deep Space Network.
Misasa Deep Space Station (MDSS), also inSaku, Nagano (and just over one kilometer northwest from UDSC), also known as GREAT (Ground Station for Deep Space Exploration and Telecommunication) was completed in 2021 at a cost of over ten billion Yen.[64] It is equipped with a 54 meter dish, also built byMitsubishi Electric,[65] communicating with spacecraft in the X- and Ka-band frequencies.[66] Phase 2 (GREAT2) to improve performance and reliability, in support of future projects, over the previous phase is now in progress.[67][68]
Other tracking stations in Okinawa, Masuda, and Katsuura are for satellite tracking and control.[69]
Collaborating with other space agencies:
Previously, JAXA has worked closely with other space agencies in support of their respective deep space projects. Notably, in 2015 NASA'sDeep Space Network provided communication and tracking services to theAkatsuki Venus probe through its 34 meter antennas.[70] In October 2021, JAXA provided NASA with data it had received at Misasa fromJuno during its flyby ofJupiter's moonEuropa.[71]
As part of on-going joint support of deep space missions JAXA, ESA, and NASA are engaged in an effort to improve the X/Ka celestial reference frame as well as a unified X/Ka terrestrial frame to be shared by the three agencies. The 54 meter dish at MDSS enhances X/Ka sensitivity from having an aperture area two and a half times larger than the equivalent antennas in the NASA and ESA network.MDSS improves the network geometry with the first direct north-south baseline (Japan-Australia) in the X/Ka VLBI network, thereby providing four new baselines which will provide optimal geometry for improving declinations.[72]
^"高時間分解能観測がひらく火星ダスト・水循環の科学"(PDF) (in Japanese). Center for Planetary Science. 28 August 2015. Retrieved4 February 2016.
^"MMX – Martian Moons eXploration".JAXA.jp. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. 26 December 2023. Retrieved4 January 2024.The current schedule has a launch date in JFY 2026, followed by Martian orbit insertion in JFY 2027 and the spacecraft will return to Earth in JFY 2031.
^"超高速インターネット衛星「きずな」（WINDS）の運用終了について" [Regarding the end of operations for the ultra-high-speed Internet satellite KIZUNA (WINDS)] (Press release) (in Japanese). JAXA. 1 March 2019. Retrieved30 April 2021.
^abcdefghij"宇宙基本計画⼯程表 (令和５年度改訂)" [Basic Plan on Space Policy (2023 Revision)](PDF) (in Japanese).Cabinet Office. 22 December 2023. p. 45.Archived(PDF) from the original on 25 December 2023. Retrieved26 December 2023.
^McPherson, S. (23 March 2010). Japan Decides Manned Mission to Moon Too Expensive, Nikkei Says. Retrieved from"- Bloomberg".Bloomberg News. Archived fromthe original on 16 September 2015. Retrieved1 September 2017.
