The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has requested funding to participate in the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety (Ramses).Ramses is ESA’s proposed mission to rendezvous with the 375 m asteroid Apophis and accompany it through a safe but exceptionally close flyby of Earth in 2029.
The JAXA contributions to Ramses would include the provision of the spacecraft’s solar arrays and infrared imager, as well as a rideshare launch on a Japanese H3 launch vehicle.
ESA and JAXA advance potential Apophis mission collaborationQuoteThe JAXA contributions to Ramses would include the provision of the spacecraft’s solar arrays and infrared imager, as well as a rideshare launch on a Japanese H3 launch vehicle.
Quote from: bolun on 09/03/2025 09:39 amESA and JAXA advance potential Apophis mission collaborationQuoteThe JAXA contributions to Ramses would include the provision of the spacecraft’s solar arrays and infrared imager, as well as a rideshare launch on a Japanese H3 launch vehicle.I wonder if Rames and DESTINY⁺ could launch together on H3...
Lazzarin stated that Ramses will launch with DESTINY+ on a Japanese flagship H3 rocket.
Apparently HTV-X is on contract for 5 missions, that's more than I was aware of.QuoteIt is scheduled to make five trips to deliver food, water, experimental materials and other supplies for astronauts by fiscal 2029.https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/science-nature/technology/20250612-263108/
It is scheduled to make five trips to deliver food, water, experimental materials and other supplies for astronauts by fiscal 2029.
CrosspostQuote from: AndrewM on 06/15/2025 12:07 amApparently HTV-X is on contract for 5 missions, that's more than I was aware of.QuoteIt is scheduled to make five trips to deliver food, water, experimental materials and other supplies for astronauts by fiscal 2029.https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/science-nature/technology/20250612-263108/
Come connect with us, share ideas, and discover how we’re working to expand humanity’s presence to the Moon and preparing for upcoming lunar Missions 3 & 4 planned to launch in 2027. 🚀🌙
Winged Reusable Sounding RocketScheduled Launch Date: March, 2026
Looks like H3s flight rate will be increasing beyond the initial target according to Nobuyuki Shiina at the World Space Business Week conference.Launch companies double down on increasing flight rates despite setbacks [Sep. 15]QuoteHe said demand is prompting MHI to increase launch rates for its H3 rocket. “The original plan was launching six launches per year,” he said, but is now projecting growth. “Not drastically, but year by year: six launches, seven launches, eight launches.”
He said demand is prompting MHI to increase launch rates for its H3 rocket. “The original plan was launching six launches per year,” he said, but is now projecting growth. “Not drastically, but year by year: six launches, seven launches, eight launches.”
20272027 - (TBD rocket) - ispace Mission 3 (Team Draper Commercial Mission 1)2027 - (TBD rocket) - ispace Mission 4
The first Series 3 lunar lander will be used for ispace’s Mission 4, which is currently scheduled to launch in 2028, following the launch of Mission 3 scheduled for 2027. ispace had initially agreed with the METI and the SBIR Secretariat that the launch would be in 2027. As of October 2025, ispace’s internal development plan currently anticipates a launch in 2028.
ArkEdge Space and its partners will first conduct space-to-ground demonstrations in 2026 to validate optical wireless links between space and ground stations. In 2027, the partners plan to carry out one of the world’s first demonstrations of two-way optical wireless links between a stratospheric HAPS and an orbiting LEO satellite.[...]Because optical wireless communications use light instead of radio waves, they can achieve high-speed data transmission without requiring frequency allocation or radio station licenses. However, as the technology relies on extremely narrow and highly directional beams, establishing and maintaining stable connections is technically very challenging. In the 2027 demonstration, bidirectional optical communications will be conducted between a stratospheric HAPS platform and a rapidly orbiting LEO satellite over distances of up to approximately 2,000 kilometers—one of the most technically demanding experiments ever attempted. Successfully demonstrating these links would mark a major milestone in advancing optical wireless communication between space and the stratosphere.[...]Demonstration LEO Satellite: The demonstration satellite will be a 6U class CubeSat [2] (approximately 10 × 20 × 30 cm) based on a versatile satellite bus design. To support precise optical communications, it will incorporate advanced attitude control technologies that ensure highly accurate pointing and stability.
Terran Orbital proudly announces the Mitsubishi Electric LEO Demo Mission, a state-of-the-art project in collaboration with Mitsubishi Electric Corporation and Mitsubishi Electric US. This mission represents a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to advance low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations.The Mitsubishi Electric LEO Demo Mission will feature the innovative Nebula platform, equipped with a Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Optical Terminal payload, provided by a Japanese team comprising members of the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Mitsubishi Electric, and other Japanese partners.[...]The project is set to have an 18-month delivery timeline from the Authorization to Proceed Agreement, with the bus delivery scheduled for 2027. The launch date is tentatively set for 2029..
We would like to inform you that a contract has been signed for the next defense satellite communication maintenance project as follows. Under this agreement, the company will manufacture the next defense communication satellite, which will be the successor to the X-band defense communication satellite "Kirameki-2" currently in operation.[...]
