Japan’s Ministry of Defense has awarded space servicing company Astroscale Japan an AUD77.9 million contract to develop a responsive space system demonstration satellite prototype.
The project, running from March 2025 to March 2028, includes the development and testing of a proto-flight model for a small geostationary demonstration satellite.
In the launch and operations phases, which will be managed under a separate contract, the satellite will demonstrate technologies to advance space domain awareness, space surveillance, intelligence gathering, and space operations capabilities.
“This contract marks a significant milestone as Astroscale Japan expands into the security and defence sector,” said Astroscale Managing Director Eddie Kato. “Alongside our existing government and commercial business, we have established a third pillar of our operations. By leveraging our heritage in rendezvous and proximity operations technologies, we will adapt our capabilities to the unique requirements of this sector.”
This project represents Astroscale Japan’s entry into the security and defence sector, as nations seek to monitor threats and deter adversaries in space. Defence sectors worldwide are increasingly recognising the value of on-orbit servicing and rendezvous and proximity operations in securing satellite operations.
By developing a responsive space system prototype, Astroscale Japan will contribute to strengthening the space domain awareness capabilities of the Ministry of Defense and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. A future on-orbit demonstration aims to improve autonomous and agile satellite operations and space environment monitoring capabilities while bolstering the safety and sustainability of Japan’s space operations.
“This contract underscores the world-leading technologies we have developed in on-orbit servicing” said Kato. “We remain committed to advancing our technologies across all sectors to ensure the safety and sustainability of space.”
Designed specifically for rendezvous and proximity operations and observation in geostationary orbit, this project will leverage Astroscale Japan’s heritage rendezvous and proximity operations technologies to develop a highly maneuverable and compact satellite compared to the traditionally large space domain awareness satellites. Optical communication technology will serve as the on-orbit infrastructure, enabling precise remote operations, high-speed data transmission and stable communications.
This demonstration is part of the Ministry of Defense’s broader initiative to establish optical communication links between geostationary satellites through an optical data relay satellite.
