Insider Brief:
- Japanese manufacturing giant Mitsui & Co. has launched Japan LEO Shachu, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary that aims to enhance the nation’s Low Earth Orbit capabilities.
- The new company plans to develop the “Japan Module” for commercial space stations. This module will feature a pressurized area for research, manufacturing, and other applications and an external platform for additional payloads. It will also have its own high-bandwidth communications system.
- Japan’s space agency JAXA plans to solicit proposals for technologies applicable to commercial stations, providing opportunities for the Japanese government and companies to participate in projects under NASA’s Commercial LEO Destinations initiative.
Japanese manufacturing giant Mitsui & Co. has founded a new company named Japan LEO Shachu, Inc. This wholly-owned subsidiary aims to enhance Japan’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) presence. Yudai Yamamoto, CEO of LEO Shachu, introduced the venture at the Spacetide conference on July 9.
Japan LEO Shachu reportedly plans to develop the “Japan Module” for commercial space stations. Building on Mitsui’s experience with CubeSat deployments from the Kibo module on the International Space Station (ISS) and their 2021 investment in Axiom Space, the new module will leverage HTV and HTV-X cargo spacecraft technologies. It will feature a pressurized area for research, manufacturing, and other applications and an external platform for additional payloads. The module will also have its own high-bandwidth communications system.
Yamamoto emphasized that Japan LEO Shachu’s goal extends beyond launching new vehicles. The company aims to generate interest from businesses and government agencies, creating new markets for the Japan Module. Key factors for success include attracting customers outside the space industry and supporting Japanese research, space exploration, and national security needs.
International cooperation, particularly with American commercial space station developers, will be crucial for Japan LEO Shachu. Yamamoto highlighted the importance of working with partners like Axiom Space to contribute to global commercial LEO systems. Former JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata, now a technical lead for Axiom in the Asia-Pacific region, expressed interest in integrating a Japanese module into Axiom’s future station.
Japan’s space agency JAXA plans to solicit proposals for technologies applicable to commercial stations, providing opportunities for the Japanese government and companies to participate in projects under NASA’s Commercial LEO Destinations initiative.
LEO Shachu’s efforts mark a significant step in Japan’s expanding role in space technology. The company seeks to make a lasting impact in the rapidly growing commercial space sector through collaboration and innovation.
Image credit: Mitsui & Co
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