Tag: Japan
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DMU41 IMU Recovers From Proton Strikes and Withstands 30 kRad Radiation Test
Silicon Sensing said on September 23 that eight DMU41 inertial measurement units returned to normal operation after single-event effects testing with protons at energies from 50 to 200 MeV, while separate total ionizing dose trials exposed the units to as much as 30 kRad(Si). Post-test acceptance procedures found no significant performance drift, providing satellite developers…
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Space Inventor and Astroscale Japan Develop Architecture for In-Orbit Satellite Servicing and Repair
Danish satellite manufacturer Space Inventor and Astroscale Japan announced on September 16, 2026, that they are developing a joint spacecraft architecture intended to enable in-orbit satellite servicing, maintenance and repair. The system combines Space Inventor’s modular small-satellite platforms with Astroscale’s rendezvous, proximity-operations and docking technologies, aiming to address spacecraft failures and propellant depletion in low…
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Rocket Lab Launches 12th StriX Radar Satellite for Synspective (Video)
An Electron rocket launched a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) spacecraft for the Tokyo-based company Synspective from Rocket Lab’s New Zealand site on Sept. 18, 2026 at 11:22 p.m. EDT (0322 GMT and 3:22 p.m. local time on Sept. 19). Credit: Rocket Lab Rocket Lab launched Synspective’s 12th StriX synthetic aperture radar satellite on September 19,…
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Mitsubishi Electric Orders SWISSto12 Phased-Array Antennas for Japanese Government GEO Program
SWISSto12 and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding on September 14 covering advanced satellite payloads, radio-frequency products and market development in Japan and the wider Asia-Pacific region, while Mitsubishi Electric placed a separate order for phased-array antenna products supporting a Japanese government secure communications program in geostationary orbit. The companies did not disclose…
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Isar Aerospace to Launch Astroscale’s ADRAS-J2 Mission to Capture and Remove Three-Ton Space Debris
Astroscale Japan has selected Isar Aerospace to launch ADRAS-J2, a robotic spacecraft designed to capture and deorbit a three-ton abandoned rocket stage. The mission is intended to become the first to remove an existing large piece of orbital debris that was not designed for servicing or retrieval. The companies announced the launch agreement on September…
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Rocket Lab Deploys Synspective Radar Satellite on 85th Electron Mission (Video)
A Rocket Lab Electron rocket launched a Strix satellite for Synspective, a Tokyo-based Earth-imaging company on Sept. 2, 2026 from New Zealand. Credit: Rocket Lab Rocket Lab launched another synthetic aperture radar satellite for Japanese Earth-observation company Synspective on September 2, extending a dedicated launch campaign supporting the expansion of the Strix constellation. The Electron…
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Rocket Lab Targets Sept. 2 Launch for Synspective’s 11th StriX Radar Satellite
Rocket Lab is preparing to launch another synthetic aperture radar satellite for Japanese Earth observation company Synspective, extending one of the small-launch sector’s largest dedicated constellation deployment campaigns. The Electron rocket is scheduled to lift off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula during a window opening at 11:00 UTC on…
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Japan Sets October 20 Launch for Ambitious Mars Moon Sample-Return Mission
Japan has confirmed October 20, 2026, as the launch date for its Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft, setting the stage for one of the most ambitious robotic planetary missions yet attempted by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The MMX spacecraft is scheduled to lift off aboard Japan’s H3 rocket at 4:41 a.m. Japan Standard…
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JAXA Sets October 20 Launch for MMX Mars Moon Sample-Return Mission
Japan is preparing to take a major step in planetary exploration with the launch of its Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft on Oct. 20, 2026. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said the mission will lift off aboard the No. 10 H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture at 4:41:03 a.m. local…
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Letara Raises ¥2.6 Billion to Advance Low-Cost Hybrid Rocket Engines for Space and Defense Markets
Japanese propulsion startup Letara has secured approximately ¥2.6 billion ($16 million) in a Pre-Series A funding round as it seeks to commercialize a new generation of low-cost hybrid rocket engines designed for satellite propulsion, launch vehicles, and defense applications. The Sapporo-based company announced the financing on Aug. 20, saying the round was co-led by Headline…