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.

University of Tokyo-born startup Pale Blue enters the Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) business after being selected for JAXA's Space Strategy Fund. With its unique water-based propulsion technology, the company aims to create "branch line transportation" in space. A deep dive into Japan's growing space industry.

PASS (Portable Active Seismic Source), a compact seismic device developed by the University of Tokyo, has been selected for NASA's Artemis IV mission. Astronauts will use this staff-like tool to generate vibrations and map the Moon's subsurface structure. Learn how this Japanese innovation will support water resource exploration, mineral surveys, and foundation assessments for future lunar bases.

Japan's National Archives now sells a clear file featuring "The Barbarian Woman of Utsuro-bune" - a mysterious disc-shaped vessel that allegedly washed ashore in 1803 with a foreign woman inside. Discover how this Edo-period historical document from "Kōken Zuihitsu," known globally as Japan's UFO incident, is merging Japanese mystery with pop culture.

Scientists at Arizona Astrobiology Center are investigating whether NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid Bennu samples contain not just the building blocks of life, but the "seeds of consciousness." The groundbreaking collaboration between consciousness researcher Stuart Hameroff and mission leader Dante Lauretta explores the controversial hypothesis that awareness existed before biological life—a concept rooted in panpsychism. Discover what ancient space rocks might reveal about the origins of mind.

Explore Fujitsu's groundbreaking explainable AI "Kozuchi XAI" for solar flare impact prediction. Learn how this collaborative research with Nagoya University and JAXA aims to protect astronauts and critical infrastructure from space weather hazards.

UK startups are developing revolutionary "autophage" spacecraft that consume their own fuel tanks for propulsion. This self-eating rocket technology could enable low-cost deep space missions, with £150,000 funding secured in 2025 for lunar orbit capabilities. Learn how this innovation is reshaping space exploration.

Australian researchers have developed "thermoradiative diodes" that convert infrared radiation emitted from Earth into space at night into electricity. This reverse solar panel technology shows promise for satellite power and deep space missions. Explore the potential and challenges of this renewable energy breakthrough.

UFO sightings are surging across Japan in 2025. From Fukushima's "UFO Village" to mysterious lights over nuclear plants, discover Japan's UAP hotspots. Learn about the bipartisan UFO caucus pushing for disclosure and how Japan fits into the global UAP transparency movement.

Japan's H3 rocket No. 8 failed on December 22, 2025. JAXA investigation reveals fairing separation anomaly caused the failure. Analysis of impact on Japan's space program.

SETI researchers propose revolutionary communication protocols using AI and large language models for extraterrestrial contact. Learn how humanity's first interstellar conversation could happen through AI ambassadors carrying our knowledge across the cosmos.

Japanese space startup ispace has been selected for JAXA's Space Strategy Fund, securing up to $130 million to develop Mission 6 targeting a 2029 lunar south pole landing. The mission will tackle precision landing, extended surface operations, and communication relay satellite deployment—positioning Japan in the global race for lunar water resources.

Explore Japan's ambitious TSUKUYOMI lunar radio telescope project led by JAXA, NAOJ, and Tohoku University. Launching prototype "LOPTA" in the 2020s, deploying 10+ antennas by late 2030s to detect the 21-cm hydrogen line from the Cosmic Dark Ages—the first 100 million years after the Big Bang.

Yamagata University has announced an ambitious CubeSat development and launch project. Learn about the significance of a Japanese regional university entering space development, their project goals, and expected outcomes.

Discover "open.space," an open-source phased array antenna designed specifically for Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) communication. This innovative project makes moon bounce accessible with compact, affordable hardware starting at $49-99 for a single tile up to $4,999 for a full 240-antenna array. Shipping expected March 2026.