JAXA - SAMRAI project

[jacqmans]

Aerospacelab Secures Groundbreaking Contract with JAXA 
through Mitsui Bussan Aerospace

Aerospacelab's Versatile Satellite Platform (VSP-300) has been selected by JAXA for its SAMRAI project, marking a significant milestone in satellite platform collaboration.

Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium – 30 April 2025, 9.00 AM CET – Aerospacelab, in partnership with Mitsui Bussan Aerospace (MBA), proudly announces its selection by the Japan Exploration Agency (JAXA) to supply the platform that will host JAXA’s SAMRAI payload as part of a demonstration mission. This contract represents an important step in showcasing innovative international satellite solutions.

This first partnership with both MBA and JAXA highlights Aerospacelab’s expansion into new markets and underscores its emergence as a trusted global partner in high-performance, cost-effective satellite platforms, further strengthening its position in the growing Japanese space market. This commercial agreement was made possible through the strategic support of Mitsui Bussan Aerospace, whose deep market knowledge and facilitation were key to establishing this partnership.

“This partnership with Mitsui Bussan Aerospace and JAXA represents a major milestone for us”, said Benoît Deper, CEO of Aerospacelab. “Being selected and recognized as a trusted partner by JAXA is a tremendous honor and a clear endorsement of our technology, innovation, and commitment to delivering competitive, high-performance spacecraft. We’re especially grateful to Mitsui Bussan Aerospace for their invaluable support in enabling this mission. We are beyond excited to embark on this journey.”
 
A first partnership strongly acclaimed by Morihiro Aoki, CEO of Mitsui Bussan Aerospace which strengthens the uniqueness of this collaboration. “We are honored to provide our service with Aerospacelab to JAXA playing a great role in the space development here in Japan. By combining our expertise with innovative technology and experience by Aerospacelab, we will dedicate all our strength to achieve success in this groundbreaking project."

Further details regarding this contract between Aerospacelab, MBA and JAXA and its broader scope will be disclosed in the coming months as additional aspects are unveiled. This initial announcement serves as the foundation for what promises to be a pioneering endeavor in the field of space technology.


About Aerospacelab

Aerospacelab, founded in 2018, has established itself as a key player in developing, manufacturing, and operating cutting-edge Earth Observation and Telecommunications satellites at scale. In 2024, the successful acquisition of AMOS marked an important milestone, further enhancing optical capabilities and introducing high-end payloads to Aerospacelab's growing portfolio, while strengthening its global position.   

With operations strategically positioned, including its Headquarters in Belgium and a factory in the U.S. (California), Aerospacelab is able to deliver innovative solutions to an expanding customer base worldwide. In 2026, Aerospacelab is set to unveil The Megafactory, Europe's upcoming largest satellite manufacturing facilities, demonstrating its ambitious vision to shape the future of the aerospace industry.

[AndrewM]

This mission is targeted to launch in JFY27 (April 1, 2027 to March 31, 2028) with a 1.5 year design life. It will weigh ~200kg and launch into a ~500 km SSO.

JAXA page for this mission: https://www.satnavi.jaxa.jp/ja/project/samrai/ [Translated via Google Chrome]

The "SAMRAI (Scanning Array for hyper-Multispectral RAdiowave Imaging)" satellite is a small demonstration satellite equipped with the innovative satellite-mounted microwave observation sensor "SAMRAI," which can simultaneously observe microwaves of a wide frequency range (ultra-wideband) over a wide area with high frequency resolution by combining three new technologies: 1) ultra-wideband antenna technology, 2) ultra-wideband antenna array technology (*1), and 3) ultra-high-speed AD conversion technology, to observe weak microwaves naturally emitted from the sea surface and atmosphere, and artificial radio waves such as those emitted by radars from ships.

The SAMRAI satellite, scheduled for launch in fiscal year 2027, will conduct technology demonstrations and demonstrate its use in anticipated fields of application.