The Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration Program is a series of spacecraft missions for testing technology and ideas put forward by universities and private companies. The program demonstrates various experimental devices and technology in space by providing flight opportunities. It is managed by the JAXA Research and Development Directorate. According to JAXA, the goal of this program is to test high risk, innovative technology that will lead to the space industry gaining competitiveness in the international field. [1]
Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration-1 was the first mission in the Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration Program. The mission included several spacecraft, the largest being RAPIS-1, along with six smaller satellites. The call for proposals was announced in 2015, and selection results were announced in February 2016. [2] A total of 14 projects were selected; however a proposal by IHI Corporation, the "Demonstration experiment of an innovative ship information receiving system" [2] was later dropped, dropping the number of projects reaching space to 13. Seven projects were tested on board RAPIS-1, either as parts or components. Three projects flew as microsatellites, and three more as CubeSats.
Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration-1 was successfully launched on 18 January 2019. [3] Payloads flown on the mission were tested in space for a year, and the operational data gained were given to the developers. The Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration-1 marked the first multi-satellite launch by Epsilon launch vehicle. [4]
Project | Type | Agency |
---|---|---|
NBFPGA | Part | NEC Corporation |
HXTX / XMGA | Component | Keio University |
? | Component | IHI Corporation |
GPRCS | Component | J-spacesystems |
SPM | Component | J-spacesystems |
DLAS | Component | Tokyo Institute of Technology |
TMSAP | Component | JAXA |
Fireant | Component | Chubu University |
MicroDragon | Microsatellite | Keio University |
RISESAT | Microsatellite | Tohoku University |
ALE-1 | Microsatellite | ALE Co., Ltd. |
OrigamiSat-1 | CubeSat | Tokyo Institute of Technology |
Aoba VELOX-IV | CubeSat | Kyushu Institute of Technology |
NEXUS | CubeSat | Nihon University |
RAPIS-1 (RAPid Innovative payload demonstration Satellite 1) is a satellite within Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration-1 that demonstrated selected projects as either parts or components. Of the 13 projects, 7 were demonstrated on board RAPIS-1.
MicroDragon is a microsatellite proposal submitted by Takashi Maeno of Keio University. [2] It was developed by the VNSC (Vietnam National Satellite Center).
Rapid International Scientific Experiment Satellite (RISESAT), previously called Hodoyoshi 2, was a microsatellite developed by Tohoku University. It was equipped with scientific instruments that were selected on an international scale. [5] RISESAT was selected for the Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration Program to demonstrate highly precise attitude control and high resolution multispectral observation technology. RISESAT's high resolution multispectral camera was capable of measuring the growth rate and health of crops from space. [6] RISESAT's remote sensing instrument, High Precision Telescope (HPT) utilizes a liquid crystal tunable filter. [7] RISESAT decayed from orbit on 14 March 2023. [8]
ALE-1, also known as ALEe, was a microsatellite for demonstrating the creation of artificial shooting stars. Built and operated by ALE Co., Ltd., it was the company's first satellite. ALE-1 was equipped with a DOM2500 deorbit mechanism manufactured by Nakashimada Engineering Works, Ltd. [9] [10] The DOM2500 was a membrane sail 2.5 m × 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in × 8 ft 2 in) large when deployed, and was used by ALE-1 to lower its altitude to less than 400 km (250 mi), the optimal altitude to conduct its main mission. [11] However, ALE-1 failed to deploy its payload and remains in orbit. [12] [13] The DOM2500 reentered the atmosphere on 3 August 2022, [14] and ALE-1 is expected to re-enter the atmosphere in October 2023. [15]
OrigamiSat-1 (COSPAR 2019-003B, SATCAT 43933) was a 3U CubeSat developed by Tokyo Institute of Technology to demonstrate the deployment of large structures from a small, folded state. After being launched to an altitude of 500 km (310 mi), OrigamiSat-1 was designed to descend down to 400 km (250 mi), where it would deploy a 1m2 membrane. [16] The satellite decayed from orbit on 30 April 2022. [17]
Aoba VELOX-IV was a 2U CubeSat equipped with a low-light camera. It was jointly developed by Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) of Singapore. The pulsed plasma thrusters developed by NTU gave the CubeSat maneuvering capabilities, a necessity for a future lunar mission, as the Moon's irregular gravity field requires orbiters to perform orbit maintenance to extend its mission lifetime. [18] It had a design lifetime of 12 months in low Earth orbit. [19] The satellite decayed from orbit on 24 March 2023. [20]
NEXUS, short for NExt generation X Unique Satellite is a 1U CubeSat developed by Nihon University. An amateur radio satellite, it is equipped with a transmitter with half the power consumption and a data transmission rate per second 32 times larger than a traditional amateur radio transmitter. NEXUS will demonstrate packet radio in space. [21] The satellite decayed from orbit on 9 November 2023. [22]
The call for proposals for Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration-2, the second mission of the program, was announced in July 2018, and selection results were announced in December of the same year. [23] There are nine satellites launching on this mission: the RAISE-2 smallsat, four microsatellites and four CubeSats. The microsatellites HIBARI, Z-Sat and DRUMS are primarily for engineering tests. TeikyoSat-4, which was additionally selected in 2020, will conduct life science studies. The four CubeSats are ASTERISC, ARICA, NanoDragon, and KOSEN-1.
The Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration 2 mission launched on 9 November 2021.
Project | Type | Agency |
---|---|---|
SPR | Part | Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation |
I-FOG | Component | Tamagawa Seiki Co., Ltd. |
ASC | Component | Amanogi, Corp. |
3D-ANT | Component | Mitsubishi Electric |
ATCD | Component | Tohoku University |
MARIN | Component | JAXA |
HIBARI | Microsatellite | Tokyo Institute of Technology |
Z-Sat | Microsatellite | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries |
DRUMS | Microsatellite | Kawasaki Heavy Industries |
TeikyoSat-4 | Microsatellite | Teikyo University |
ASTERISC | CubeSat | Chiba Institute of Technology |
ARICA | CubeSat | Aoyama Gakuin University |
Advanced OBC of NanoDragon | CubeSat | Meisei Electric |
KOSEN-1 | CubeSat | National Institute of Technology, Kochi College |
Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration-3's call for proposals was announced in January 2020, and in May 2020 JAXA announced the selection of 14 themes. [24] On 22 January 2021, Shizuoka University's STARS-X microsatellite was additionally selected, bringing the total number of themes to 15. [25] Among the 15 themes seven were on board the RAISE-3 smallsat, three are microsatellites and five were CubeSats. Of the three microsatellites, KOYOH will conduct astronomical observation of transient sources, PETREL will demonstrate a multispectral camera, and STARS-X will extend a 1 km long tether and collect space debris. For the CubeSats, MAGNARO was to demonstrate formation flight, MITSUBA was to test the degrading of COTS semiconductor parts, KOSEN-2 was to collect marine observation data, and WASEDA-SAT-ZERO was to demonstrate an integrated satellite chassis.
On 19 April 2022, IHI Aerospace (IA), the manufacturer of Epsilon rocket announced that it signed a contract with iQPS for the launch of two satellites. IA said that the two satellites will be launched on the sixth launch of Epsilon. [26] In a subsequent press release JAXA announced that the two iQPS satellites will be launched together with Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration-3, and that the three microsatellites originally manifested for the flight (KOYOH, PETREL, and STARS-X) will instead be launched on another rocket, which will be arranged by IA. [27] For IA, the contract with iQPS marked its first contract to launch a commercial satellite. IA was previously selected by JAXA as the launch service provider for Epsilon S, an upgraded version of Epsilon. IA described its contract with iQPS as a forerunner to commercial launches on Epsilon S. [26]
Project | Agency | Planned re-flight mission |
---|---|---|
LEOMI | Nippon Telegraph and Telephone | 4 |
SDRX | NEC Space Technologies, Ltd. | Did not prefer a re-flight |
GEMINI | Mitsubishi Electric | 4 |
KIR | Pale Blue | 4 |
TMU-PPT | Advanced Technology Institute | 4 |
D-SAIL | Axelspace | 4 |
HELIOS | Sakase Adtech Co., Ltd. | 4 |
KOYOH | Kanazawa University | - |
PETREL | Tokyo Institute of Technology | - |
STARS-X | Shizuoka University | - |
MAGNARO | Nagoya University | 4 |
MITSUBA | Kyushu Institute of Technology | 5 |
KOSEN-2 | National Institute of Technology, Yonago College | 4 |
WASEDA-SAT-ZERO | Waseda University | 4 |
FSI-SAT | Future Science Institute | 4 |
The Epsilon rocket carrying Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration-3's RAISE-3 and five CubeSats was launched on 12 October 2022. The launch resulted in failure and all the payloads and the launch vehicle were destroyed. [28]
KOYOH was launched successfully aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on 1 December 2023. [29]
Following the launch failure of the Epsilon rocket carrying RAISE-3 and the CubeSats selected for Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration-3, each of the projects were given a re-flight opportunity in subsequent missions, except NEC Space Technologies, Ltd.'s SDRX, which declined the offer. [30]
The call for proposals for Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration-4 was released by JAXA on 17 June 2022, [31] and in September 2022 three CubeSats, KOSEN-3, OrigamiSat-2 and Mono-Nikko were selected. [32]
Project | Agency |
---|---|
LEOMI | Nippon Telegraph and Telephone |
GEMINI | Mitsubishi Electric |
KIR-X | Pale Blue |
TMU-PPT | Advanced Technology Institute |
D-SAIL | Axelspace |
HELIOS-R | Sakase Adtech Co., Ltd. |
CF-CAM | Mach Corporation |
AIRIS | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries |
MAGNARO-II | Nagoya University |
KOSEN-2R | National Institute of Technology, Yonago College |
WASEDA-SAT-ZERO-II | Waseda University |
OrigamiSat-2 | Tokyo Institute of Technology |
Mono-Nikko | Di-Nikko Engineering Co., Ltd. |
Prelude | Nihon University |
ARICA-2 | Aoyama Gakuin University |
Project | Agency |
---|---|
MITSUBA-R | Kyushu Institute of Technology |
KOSEN-3 | National Institute of Technology, Kagawa College |
RAIKO is a Japanese satellite which was built and operated by Tohoku and Wakayama Universities. A two-unit CubeSat, RAIKO was deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) on 4 October 2012, having been launched on 21 July 2012.
Hydroxylammonium nitrate or hydroxylamine nitrate (HAN) is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula [NH3OH]+[NO3]−. It is a salt derived from hydroxylamine and nitric acid. In its pure form, it is a colourless hygroscopic solid. It has potential to be used as a rocket propellant either as a solution in monopropellants or bipropellants. Hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN)-based propellants are a viable and effective solution for future green propellant-based missions, as it offers 50% higher performance for a given propellant tank compared to commercially used hydrazine.
The Institute for Unmanned Space Experiment Free Flyer (USEF) (財団法人無人宇宙実験システム研究開発機構) was a Japanese space agency, which was founded by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in 1986. Unlike NASDA, ISAS, and NAL, it was not included in the JAXA organization, which was founded in 2003. The chairperson is Ichiro Taniguchi.
The Epsilon Launch Vehicle, or Epsilon rocket, is a Japanese solid-fuel rocket designed to launch scientific satellites. It is a follow-on project to the larger and more expensive M-V rocket which was retired in 2006. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) began developing the Epsilon in 2007. It is capable of placing a 590 kg payload into Sun-synchronous orbit.
Kounotori 6 (こうのとり6号機), also known as HTV-6, was the sixth flight of the H-II Transfer Vehicle, an uncrewed cargo spacecraft launched to resupply the International Space Station. It was launched at 13:26:47 UTC on 9 December 2016 aboard H-IIB launch vehicle from Tanegashima Space Center.
Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) is a lunar lander mission of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The lander's initial launch date in 2021 was postponed until 2023 due to delays in its rideshare, the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM). On 6 September 2023 at 23:42 UTC, XRISM launched, and SLIM separated from it later that day.
TRICOM-1R, also known as Tasuki, was a Japanese nanosatellite that was launched during the SS-520-5 sounding rocket test launch on 3 February 2018, with a mission to conduct store and forward data relay and Earth observation using a set of cameras.
HIBARI is a space mission by Japan for a microsatellite that would test a new attitude control (orientation) method to achieve high accuracy pointing for its small telescope, and was launched on 9 November 2021 by an Epsilon launch vehicle as part of the Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration Program-2 mission. The key technology to be tested on HIBARI is called "Variable Shape Attitude Control" (VSAC), and it is based on reaction torque by rotating its four solar array paddles.
RAPIS-1 is a satellite launched on 18 January 2019 which for over a year was used to test seven technology demonstration projects. RAPIS-1 was developed and operated by Axelspace Corporation, under the coordination of the Japanese space agency JAXA.
OPUSAT-II was a CubeSat developed by Osaka Prefecture University and Muroran Institute of Technology. OPUSAT-II was launched from Wallops Flight Facility on 20 February 2021, and was deployed from the International Space Station. The satellite was nicknamed HIROGARI, for a Japanese word meaning spread, or expand.
DRUMS is an experimental spacecraft that will test proximity operation near space debris. The microsatellite carries two 'mock space debris' which once deployed will be used as a target for demonstrating approach and contact.
ASTERISC is a nanosatellite developed by the Planetary Exploration Research Center (PERC) at the Chiba Institute of Technology that will observe cosmic dust in low Earth orbit. It is built as 3U-sized CubeSat and will deploy a large membrane structure in space. ASTERISC was launched on 9 November 2021 by an Epsilon launch vehicle.
KOSEN-1 is a technology demonstration satellite that will test the deployment of an antenna for observing radio waves emitted from the planet Jupiter. It is a 2U CubeSat, and carries a 7 m (23 ft) antenna. The CubeSat was jointly developed by the National Institute of Technologies in Japan. National Institute of Technologies is known as 'kosen' in Japanese. KOSEN-1 was launched on 9 November 2021 by an Epsilon launch vehicle, as part of the Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration-2 mission.
RAISE-2 was a smallsat for technology demonstration, part of the Japanese space agency JAXA's Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration Program. RAISE-2 was launched on 9 November 2021 as the main satellite of Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration-2. RAISE-2 was developed by Mitsubishi Electric.
PETREL is a technology demonstration satellite being developed by Tokyo Institute of Technology. The microsatellite is equipped with a multispectral camera, which will be used to carry out two distinct missions. One mission is to survey the sky in ultraviolet wavelengths for the field of time-domain astronomy, and the other is to conduct spectroscopic observations of the Earth. PETREL was planned to be launched as part of the Japanese space agency JAXA's 2022 Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration-3 mission, but wasn't launched.
NanoDragon is a 3U CubeSat built by the Vietnam National Satellite Center (VNSC). NanoDragon will use its automatic identification system (AIS) receiver to monitor vessels, and will also test the accuracy of its attitude control using an optical imager. It carries an advanced OBC developed by Japan's Meisei Electric.
KITSUNE was a nanosatellite developed by the HAK consortium, which consists of Haradaseiki Kogyo, Addnics Corporation, and Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech). The spacecraft was a 6U CubeSat, and carried a high-resolution camera for Earth observation. KITSUNE was carried to the International Space Station (ISS) on board Cygnus NG-17, and was deployed from the ISS's Kibō Module on 24 March 2022 12:10 UTC. The deployment service of KITSUNE was provided by Mitsui Bussan Aerospace.
RAISE-3 is a smallsat for technology demonstration developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). Part of the Japanese space agency JAXA's Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration Program, RAISE-3 carried multiple technologies that were selected for in-orbit demonstration. RAISE-3 was launched on 12 October 2022 by an Epsilon rocket as the main satellite of Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration-3, but the launch resulted in a failure and the satellite was lost.
Mitsuba was a nanosatellite developed by Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech) which would have tested whether products that are not intended for use in space are still usable for satellites. Mitsuba was launched on 12 October 2022 by an Epsilon rocket, but the launch resulted in a failure and the satellite was lost.
KOSEN-2 is an educational nanosatellite jointly developed by eight schools of National Institute of Technology in Japan. The satellite would have tested IoT technologies in space. KOSEN-2 was launched on 12 October 2022 by an Epsilon rocket as part of the Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration-3 mission, but the launch resulted in a failure and the satellite was lost.