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Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and traditional heavy industry companies such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MELCO) have long held a dominant position in Japan’s space development sector.
Japan’s space industry is estimated to be worth around $12 billion in 2022, which lags behind the U.S. and Europe. In response to this, the Japanese government has identified space industry growth as a national priority. In the nation’s updated Basic Plan on Space Policy in 2020, the Japanese government has set a goal to double the size of its then $11 billion budget by the early 2030s. With these policies and the rise of investment by the public and private sectors, Japanese space-tech startups have been emerging in the space market. There are more than 40 space-tech startups, which are diverse; ranging from the removal of space debris to entertainment by creating artificial shooting stars.
Thousand of dead satellites and piece of debris from rockets are orbiting our planet. According to NASA, there are 27,000 pieces of orbital space junk at speeds up to 25,267 km/h (15,700 mph). Since even tiny pieces of debris can create catastrophic problems by hitting a spacecraft, the risk of accidents is high.
Headquartered in Japan, Astroscale was founded in 2013 and have subsidiaries in the US, UK, Israel, and Singapore. The company is developing innovative solutions to mitigate this growing and hazard: debris removal from orbital space, retrieval of end-of-life satellites, and life extension of satellites. Moreover, Astroscale is defining business cases through collaboration with commercial stakeholders and government to develop norms, regulations, and incentives for the responsible use of space.
ALE is the University of Tohoku spinout. Founded in 2011, this space-tech startup is developing their idea of creating artificial shooting stars. The shooting stars created by ALE emit light observable even within bright cities, with the spectacle lasting for a few seconds longer compared to natural shooting stars. The core of each shooting star is just 1cm in diameter, and it will completely burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere. ALE is planning to release the world’s first artificial shooting stars in 2023.
Their mission, “make space closer for all of us together” comes from their idea of combining entertainment and the space industry. In addition to the world’s first artificial shooting stars, they also provide other services:
ALE won a prize in the 21st Japan Venture Awards and now works on developing its own unique technologies for sustainable progress in space exploration and scientific development.
Skygate Technologies was founded in 2020 and developed GSaaS using high-speed wireless technology and software radio. They created the cloud ground platform called ‘Skygate’, which provides a fast and high-data-rate downlink from satellites to the ground. It enables satellite operators and their data analysts to easily transmit and process their data.
Additionally, the risk of cyberattacks and national security in space has been increasing. To tackle these concerns, the company also provides military-grade secure development and satellite communication systems and network environments for customers. Following the rise of security concerns, many countries are developing tougher legislation and security standards. In 2016, for example, the Japanese government enacted two outer space-related laws: The Satellite Act and The Remote Sensing Records Act. Since it is a challenge for space business companies to remain abreast of rapidly changing and evolving laws, Skygate Technologies also provides full support in complying with those Acts and other relevant legislation.
Infostellar is pioneering the concept of Ground Segments as a Service (GSaaS) for orbiting satellites. The company provides ground station services and technology through its cloud-based station platform ‘Stellar Station’. The platform offers ground station owners an opportunity to monetize their surplus capacity and enables satellite operators to communicate with their satellites from a varied range of antennas worldwide, all through one common interface.
The company also provides operational support on the ground segment field, such as acquisition for the radio communication license and frequency coordination services. By reducing the difficulty of building the ground segment, the company supports customers to develop their mission and improve their services that are engaged in new satellite-based business.
Founded in 2020, Pale Blue is a spin-off from the University of Tokyo. The company received JPY 470 million for funding in 2021. This space-tech startup is developing thrusters for small satellites that use water as a propellant. Small satellites have been trending in the space industry, however the toxic chemicals (such as hydrazine) traditionally used for propellants have made manufacturing and transportation much more difficult. Pale Blue has been developing its water-based propulsion technology to make the space ecosystem safer and more sustainable. Their technology also makes thrusters much more affordable than those that use toxic chemicals.
The company is aiming to launch several small demonstration satellites by 2022, and full commercial application between 2030-50.
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