Japanese space startup Astroscale has announced its ISSA-J1 mission to realize a 'space safety patrol' service in orbit. As the space debris crisis intensifies with over 130 million pieces of junk circling Earth, this article explores how Astroscale's first-mover advantage in on-orbit servicing compares to rivals like ClearSpace and SpaceX, and what it means for Japan's growing space industry.
Aizawa Concrete's F3DP is a gasoline-powered drone with a robotic arm and nozzle that extrudes concrete in flight. It is aimed at printing formwork for floating offshore wind platforms by the end of 2028. A machine born from Japan's construction math: 4.77 million workers, 36.6% of them over 55.
Chiba Institute of Technology has achieved the world's first ground combustion test of thrust vector control (TVC) using a gas hybrid rocket. Part of the Hestia Project, which aims to launch small satellites via balloon-based "Rockoon" method, this breakthrough demonstrated successful thrust vectoring at 2.0 kN over 8 seconds — opening a new path for affordable space access.
As AI demand pushes terrestrial data centers to their limits in power and cooling, a new frontier is opening in orbit. Japan's NTT Group and SKY Perfect JSAT are leading the charge through their joint venture Space Compass, leveraging cutting-edge optical communication technology IOWN. Meanwhile, Google's Project Suncatcher and startup Starcloud are racing to build solar-powered AI infrastructure in space. Explore Japan's unique edge in inter-satellite optical communications and the future of orbital computing.
Japan's Ministry of Defense has signed a landmark $1.8 billion contract for a satellite constellation project. A special purpose company "TriSat Constellation," formed by Mitsubishi Electric, SKY Perfect JSAT, and Mitsui, will lead the effort alongside domestic space startups like Synspective and iQPS. A deep dive into Japan's pivotal shift in space defense strategy.
Japanese space startup SpaceOne launched its third KAIROS small rocket on March 5, 2026 after repeated delays, but flight was aborted about 68.8 seconds after liftoff — a third straight failure following Flights 1 and 2. Learn what the company changed, what went wrong this time, and where its "space delivery service" dream stands now.
Japan's Space Data Inc. and CYPHIC, the country's only electronic warfare startup, have launched a strategic partnership combining digital twin technology with anti-GPS spoofing capabilities. A deep look at how Japanese defense tech startups are tackling modern electronic warfare threats.
Airbus A321XLR achieves a range of 8,700km with its revolutionary structural fuel tank. American Airlines has launched commercial operations, and Japan's Peach Aviation plans to introduce it by 2028. Discover how this narrow-body jet is rewriting the rules of budget long-haul travel.
Japanese startup AstroX has raised $15 million in Series A funding to develop its revolutionary Rockoon launch system — using high-altitude balloons to carry rockets to the stratosphere before firing them into space. Based in Fukushima's Minamisoma, the company aims to reach space by 2026 and achieve orbital insertion by 2029, challenging the global space launch industry with a low-cost, flexible alternative.
Japanese space startup ALE announces "Starlight Challenge," its third attempt to create the world's first artificial shooting stars after two previous setbacks. Targeting a 2028 space demonstration and commercialization by 2029, this ambitious project blends space entertainment with atmospheric science research.
A Japanese-led research team has detected the largest sulfur-bearing organic molecule ever found in interstellar space, a 13-atom ring compound near the Milky Way's center. The discovery bridges simple space chemistry and complex building blocks of life found in comets and meteorites, offering a key missing link in understanding life's cosmic origins.
