Japan
Quad nations unveil satellite-based maritime monitoring initiative
Leaders of the United States, Japan, India and Australia have agreed to launch a satellite-based initiative to help countries in the Indo-Pacific region track illegal fishing and other suspicious maritime activities.
Biden vows to expand space cooperation with South Korea, Japan
U.S. President Joe Biden promised to expand space cooperation with Japan and South Korea during back-to-back summits with the leaders of two East Asian allies.
Japan’s ArkEdge Space closes $18.7 million Series A for nanosatellite projects
Japanese startup ArkEdge Space has raised $18.7 million since this year to continue developing nanosatellite technologies needed for building an Earth-to-moon communication system and a multi-functional smallsat constellation.
Sierra Space to study Dream Chaser landings in Japan
Sierra Space has signed an agreement to study future landings of its Dream Chaser vehicle at a Japanese airport.
Japan, Australia condemn Russia for ‘irresponsible’ anti-satellite missile test
Japan and Australia have joined international condemnation of Russia for testing an anti-satellite weapon Nov. 15 that created over 1,500 pieces of debris in low Earth orbit.
Japan to launch 2nd space defense unit to protect satellites from electromagnetic attack
Japan will stand up a second space defense unit within the next 18 months to monitor electromagnetic wave threats to its satellites.
Virgin Orbit, Japanese airline team up for air-launch system
Virgin Orbit has entered an agreement with the owner of Japan's All Nippon Airways for the procurement of 20 flights of Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne rocket from an airport in Japan.
Op-Ed | To shore up U.S. space dominance, Biden administration must boost Japan-U.S. alliance
Recent reports that China has tested a space-based, nuclear-capable hypersonic missile underscore the need for the Biden administration to take a number of steps to strengthen a Japan-U.S. alliance.
SpaceX’s Starlink broadband to be available in Japan’s remote areas next year
SpaceX’s Starlink satellite broadband service will be available in Japan’s remote areas starting in 2022.
Op-ed | Japan’s Space Journey: From the Land of the Rising Sun to the Moon
To appreciate how Japan’s space ecosystem functions today, consider where it started.
Japan eyes ‘Asia’s hub in space business’ with more spaceports
Japan’s government says it will build more spaceports in an effort to make the country “Asia’s hub in space business.”
Iceye establishes office to serve Japanese market
Iceye is expanding to serve the Japanese market with the support of Makoto Higashi, the former Japan Space Imaging Corp. CEO and president, who will serve as Iceye’s general manager in Japan.
Japan passes space resources law
Japan’s parliament approved legislation that allows companies to extract and utilize space resources as the head of Russia’s space agency criticized similar national laws on the subject.
Axelspace raises $24 million in Series C round
Axelspace, the Japanese firm planning to offer daily global optical imagery, raised 2.58 billion Japanese yen ($23.8 million) in a Series C investment round announced May 14 in Tokyo, May 13 in the United States.
Japan budgets a record $4.14 billion for space activities
In response to the reignited global space race, Japan is planning a record space budget of 449.6 billion yen ($4.14 billion) in the fiscal year 2021, up 23.1 percent over the current fiscal year that ends March 30, according to draft budget documents.
Hayabusa2 delivers asteroid samples to Earth after six-year voyage
Japan’s Hayabusa2 mission has delivered samples taken from a primitive asteroid to Earth to provide insights into the origin of life on Earth and evolution of the solar system.
Japan launches JDRS-1 optical data relay satellite for military, civilian use
Japan has a new data relay satellite headed for geostationary orbit following successful launch of JDRS-1 on a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ H-IIA rocket Sunday.
Astroscale raises $51 million in Series E, $191 million overall
Astroscale Holdings Inc. raised $51 million in a Series E investment round, bringing total funding for the Tokyo-based orbital debris removal startup to $191 million.
Japan’s iQPS to update technology for future radar satellites
IQPS launched its first 100-kilogram SAR satellite, Izanagi, in November 2019 on an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. The firm’s second satellite, Izanami, is scheduled to launch as early as December on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of Spaceflight’s SXRS-3 rideshare mission.
