The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) have signed a framework agreement for collaborative research in the field of aviation.

Since 2012, JAXA and the NRC have been forging collaborative relationships through joint research in the aviation field. The launch of the NRC’s Japan office in October 2019 helped strengthen the relationship between the two organizations. Currently, JAXA and the NRC are conducting research on lightning strike protection of composite materials and particle ingestion into engines.

With the conclusion of the agreement, JAXA and the NRC will further deepen the collaborative ties, creating more opportunities for continued cooperation.

On August 22, 2023, the International Space Station Multilateral Coordination Board (ISS MCB Meeting) was held at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in United States, and JAXA participated as a member of the ISS Partnership.

The ISS MCB Meeting serves as the top-level international coordination meeting for the ISS program, where important matters related to the operations and utilization of the ISS are regularly discussed.

This meeting marked the first of its kind after Canada, Europe, Russia, Japan, and the United States each committed to participating in the extension of ISS operations beyond 2025. Representatives from each partner discussed topics related to the operation of the ISS as an orbital laboratory, including crucial research and technology demonstrations for future space exploration. Furthermore, they discussed the role and utilization of the ISS for the benefit of humanity, as well as its role in commercial economic activities in Low Earth Orbit in the 2030s and the expansion of human activities to the Moon and beyond.

Following the meeting, a joint statement was issued:

JAXA's Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) will carry a rover jointly developed by DLR (German Aerospace Center) and CNES (National Centre for Space Studies). The rover will be released from the MMX spacecraft above the Martian moon Phobos, and will land on the moon to observe the surface and contribute to a safe and secure landing for the MMX spacecraft.

On June 20, 2023, at the Paris Air Show (Le Bourget) organized in Paris, France, JAXA President Yamakawa Hiroshi, Chair of the DLR Executive Board Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, DLR Executive Board Member and Director General of the German Space Agency at DLR Walther Pelzer, and CNES CEO Philippe Baptiste signed a trilateral Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) concerning cooperative activities on the rover within the MMX mission.

At the same occasion, DLR/CNES announced that the nickname for the rover has been chosen as “IDEFIX”.

JAXA cooperated with DLR and CNES during the successful Hayabusa2 asteroid sample return mission, which carried the DLR-CNES co-developed small lander “MASCOT”, and will once again cooperate for a successful mission for MMX.

On May 25th, President Yamakawa of JAXA and Dr. Phillipe Baptiste, CEO of the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), the French Space Agency have signed Inter-Agency Agreement Concerning the Cooperation ㏌ the Field of Space Programmes at JAXA Sagamihara Campus. JAXA and CNES established long standing cooperation for about 30 years. Based on this cooperative and trust relationship between two agencies, the agreement aims to strengthen the cooperation creation structure which promotes and organizes new cooperative activities.

The agreement also sets forth basic terms and conditions for cooperation with CNES. Implementing Arrangement concerning Cooperative Activities related to Analysis of Return Samples by MicrOmega at the JAXA Extraterrestrial Sample Curation Center was signed as the first cooperation under this new inter-agency agreement.

The online workshop “Tackling Extreme Precipitation Events Workshop -Indo-Pacific region-” was held jointly by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) from March 1st to 3rd, 2023. This workshop was one of the efforts under the Quad Space Working Group, which was established after Quad Leaders’ Summit in September 2021. The Quad countries, Australia, India, Japan and the United States, have been promoting practical cooperation in various fields to realize a “free and open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)”. The Quad Space Working Group is working to provide capacity building support in the countries of the Indo-Pacific region for responding to extreme precipitation events by utilizing the Earth observation satellite technology of the Quad countries. The workshop was attended by meteorological and hydrological agencies in and around countries of the Indo-pacific region, various agencies providing expertise and funding in the region and experts from the Quad countries, amounting to about 200 participants from 17 countries.

In the opening session, a keynote speech titled “Transformative Steps to shift the world onto a sustainable and resilient path” was given by Professor Toshio Koike, Director of the International Center for Water Disaster and Risk Management. The first session was the introduction of applications and services based on space-based precipitation services by each of the Quad countries, followed by the second session to share good practices of using the services by four national agencies and three regional agencies. After two sessions, experts form the Quad countries and the Indo-Pacific region discussed how to support capacity building in countries of the Indo-Pacific region for tackling extreme precipitation events through utilizing space-based services in the future. On the third day of the workshop, training on utilization of data of “Himawari” by JMA and “Global Satellite Map of Precipitation (GSMaP)” was held.

On February 16, 2023, H.E. Mr. Csaba Kőrösi, President of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly and his team visited the JAXA Tsukuba Space Center. Dr. YAMAKAWA Hiroshi, President of JAXA, introduced JAXA’s Earth observation satellites; Global Observing SATellite for Greenhouse gases and Water cycle (GOSAT-GW) and Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-3 (ASMR3) which will be installed on the Global Change Observation Mission-Water (GCOM-W) under development, and JAXA/UNOOSA’s KiboCUBE program. They exchanged views on JAXA’s efforts toward the SDGs and how JAXA can contribute to environmental issues related to “water” and “climate” including water disasters and climate change.

On February 7, 2023, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, and his team visited the JAXA Tsukuba Space Center. Dr. YAMAKAWA Hiroshi, President of JAXA, introduced JAXA facilities including the International Space Station (ISS) Kibo Mission Control Room, Simulation Apparatus for Tumbling target capturing Dynamics (SATDyn), and the test site of X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) which is one of the JAXA/NASA collaborative mission with ESA. Sen. Nelson and Dr. Yamakawa exchanged prospects on JAXA/NASA partnered missions in a wide range of areas including lunar exploration.

On January 13, 2023, in the presence of Prime Minister Kishida visiting NASA HQ, Mr. Hayashi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, and the Honorable Antony Blinken, Secretary of State of the United States of America, signed the Framework Agreement between Japan and the United States of America for Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space. Dr. Yamakawa, President of JAXA and Astronaut Hoshide also had the opportunity to witness this signing ceremony.

This agreement sets forth the basic terms and conditions for Japan-U.S. space cooperation for peaceful purposes as well as enables to promote space cooperation and increase efficiency for it between JAXA and U.S. agencies including NASA. We expect that this will further expand the field of cooperation including Artemis Project between Japan and U.S.

On December 2, 2022, First CubeSats of Uganda called ‘PearlAfricaSat-1’ and of Zimbabwe called ‘ZIMSAT-1’ were deployed from the Japanese Experiment Module ‘Kibo’. PearlAfricaSat-1 was developed by Uganda Science, Technology, and Innovation Office of the President and ZIMSAT-1 was developed by the Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency (ZINGSA) ; both in collaboration with Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech) through BIRDS Project.
The deployment ceremony was held in JAXA Tsukuba Space Center (TKSC) on December 2, 2022. H.E. Ms.KAAHWA, Ambassador of Uganda Embassy, Ms. Mastangaise, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of Zimbabwe Embassy, and representatives of these two nations have participated in the ceremony.

The leaders confirmed in-principle support for Australia to be the landing site for the Japanese Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) capsule, expected to launch in 2024. Leaders welcomed this strong collaboration between Australia and Japan in space science research activities

On August 26, 2022, JAXA has co-organized the Workshop on Africa -Japan CubeSat Cooperation with Tunisian authorities concerned and Japanese universities (Kyutech and University of Tokyo) in the margin of the TICAD-8. The seven countries who had CubeSat collaboration with Japan has participated in the Workshop and they shared their CubeSat experience and future perspective of satellite utilization. On August 25, JAXA implemented the KIBOCUBE Academy in Tunis in collaboration with UNOOSA as well.

On June 28, Dr. Yamakawa Hiroshi, President of JAXA had a bilateral meeting with Dr. Philippe Baptiste, Chairman and CEO of CNES, French National Centre for Space Studies at the occasion of CNES’visit to Japan. In the meeting, Dr. Yamakawa celebrated the 60th anniversary of CNES and discussed current and future cooperation.
The meeting was preceded by the JAXA-CNES Strategic Committee on June 27, co-chaired by respective Vice Presidents where an in-depth discussion was held on cooperation management and potential area of collaboration.

During the stay, CNES delegation paid a visit to JAXA Tsukuba Space Center on June 29 and joined the CNES 60th anniversary event held on June 30 at Miraikan, Tokyo.

CNES has been one of the most important partners for JAXA having a long and diverse history of collaboration, and the ties were further strengthened with this visit.

On April 21, 2022, H.E. Mr. Rahm Emanuel, Ambassador of the United States of America to Japan, his wife, and his team visited the JAXA Tsukuba Space Center. Dr. YAMAKAWA Hiroshi, President of JAXA, introduced the Ambassador to spacecraft integration and test facility, International Space Station (ISS) Kibo Mission Control Room and the exhibition hall “Space Dome”. He also explained JAXA’s activities conducting with the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) such as achievements based on Japan-United States Open Platform Partnership Program, study status towards the Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway and development of X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM). H.E. Mr. Rahm Emanuel, Ambassador expressed his expectations to Japan’s space leadership.

Dr. YAMAKAWA Hiroshi, President of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) had a bilateral meeting with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator, Sen. Bill Nelson at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C. on April 7, 2022. Dr. YAMAKAWA and Sen. Nelson exchanged prospects on JAXA=NASA collaboration and confirmed the importance of international partnerships.

Dr. YAMAKAWA Hiroshi, President of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mr. HOSHIDE Akihiko, JAXA Astronaut paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Mr. Rahm Emanuel, Ambassador of the United States of America to Japan. Astronaut Hoshide shared his exciting stories of the SpaceX Crew Dragon (Crew-2) missions aboard the International Space Station.
Astronaut Hoshide carried out missions that contributed to international space exploration, national problem-solving research, and the promotion of commercialization. He also contributed to maximize the results of the mission as the second Japanese ISS commander.

Dr. YAMAKAWA Hiroshi, President of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) received the insignia of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor from H.E. Philippe Setton, Ambassador of the French Republic to Japan on December 17.

This insignia was presented to Dr. Yamakawa for his contribution in advancing space cooperation between France and Japan by launching new projects with CNES (Centre national d'études spatiales) in the areas such as space transportation and space exploration.

Dr. Yamakawa have stated, “It is a great honor for me to receive the insignia of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. There is a long-standing history of space cooperation between Japan and France, and I believe that I have received this award with our partners who have contributed to this partnership.” He expressed his expectations to contribute further deepening relations between the two countries through space cooperation.

Dr. YAMAKAWA Hiroshi, President of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) had received the National Order of Merit “José Falcon” from H.E. Dr. Euclides ACEVEDO CANDIA, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Paraguay, during his visit to Japan on November 21. This award was presented to JAXA for the contribution of deploying the Republic of Paraguay’s first CubeSat “GuaraniSat-1” from the International Space Station (ISS) Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” in March this year through the Joint Global Multi-Nation Birds Satellite project (BIRDS Project) which is conducted by Kyushu Institute of Technology.

Dr. Yamakawa have stated, “We are honored that JAXA was able to play a part in welcoming the Republic of Paraguay to the exciting world of aerospace. I believe that we have received this award together with all students, teachers, and our partners, who have worked hard to make this (CubeSat mission) possible.” He expressed his expectations to contribute further deepening relations between the two countries through space cooperation.

President Yamakawa of JAXA and President Serdar Huseyin Yildirim, Turkish Space Agency (TUA) have signed today a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) in the Field of Space Activities for Peaceful Purposes at the 72nd International Astronautical Congress 2021, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The signing ceremony was graced by the presence of Consul General Mr. Ilker Kilic, Turkish Consulate General in Dubai and Consul General Mr. Sekiguchi, Consulate General of Japan in Dubai.

JAXA has been building a close cooperative relationship with Turkey since before the establishment of TUA through the deployment of Turkish microsatellite from the Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo" on the International Space Station (ISS) and long-term exposure experiments (twice) of materials and other subjects using the Experiment Handrail Attachment Mechanism (ExHAM) of the Exposed Facility, an external platform outside the Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo" on the ISS in 2018.

With the conclusion of this MOC, the two organizations will further strengthen their cooperation.

YAMAKAWA Hiroshi, President of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Lisa Campbell, President of Canadian Space Agency(CSA), and Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, Chair of the German Aerospace Centre(DLR) Executive Board signed a Letter of Intent(LoI) on the establishment of a global Human Resources exchange network within Space Organizations, named “International Forum for Space Organisations Human Resources Management,” with “INFOHRM” as its official acronym, on October 26, 2021.

With the rapid technological development, the world's socio-economies are becoming closer and more connected to each other. In this era of Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity, we are faced with the need to take on new challenges for the future, and space technology is no exception.
Under this difficulty in predicting the future, the three space agencies have begun to see the merits of sharing wisdom and experience in organizational management. This agreement to establish an information exchange forum will help us prepare for the future, based on our long history of successful technical cooperation and the resulting mutual trust.

The purpose of this LOI is to establish among participating agencies an international forum for sharing information and best practices in Human Resources (HR) and HR-related Administration matters.
It is anticipated that this LoI will deepen the exchange of information between Executives and Managers of their respective Human Resources and HR-related administration. It aims to address challenges related to Human Resources Policy, Human Resources Management and Administration processes, and to unite us in the willingness to identify common interests in finding solutions to prepare for the future realities in the field of human-resource development for space. In addition, cooperation between space agencies on management, practical knowledge sharing, or knowledge management is unprecedented, and is a new kind of agreement that fits an era of innovation in the space sector.

At the signing ceremony, President Yamakawa expressed his expectation that the human resources policy, which is an important element of the organization, will be addressed as a common interest.

President Yamakawa of JAXA and Head of the State Space Agency of Ukraine (SSAU) Mr. Taftai Volodymyr have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation for the Study of Possible Cooperation in the Field of Space Activities for Peaceful Purposes (MOC) on 23rd October during the Expo 2020 Dubai thematic space week (Dubai, UAE). The signing ceremony was graced by the presence of H. E. Dr. Korsunsky Sergiy, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Japan, and Mr. Otsuka Kazuya, Chargé d'affaires a.i., of Embassy of Japan in Ukraine.

This MOC is aimed at exchanging information and studying possible cooperation in the broad areas of space exploration, space science, earth observation, and research and development. Under this MOC, JAXA and SSAU will discuss to create favorable conditions for the development of scientific and technical cooperation between the space communities of our two countries.

JAXA is pleased to host a special session titled “Regional Cooperation and National Space Legislation” at IAC 2021 in Dubai. This will be a workshop where prominent speakers from various regions and UNOOSA will introduce national and international space law initiatives, including the efforts of APRSAF National Space Legislation Initiative (NSLI). Speakers will discuss the significance of their efforts and challenges and will engage in a Q&A session with the audience. All IAC participants are invited. We are looking forward to the participation of those interested in capacity building and international cooperation in space law, especially those in emerging countries who are planning to formulate national space laws.

Date:Friday, October 29, PM 3:15-4:15 (GST)
Room:Sheikh Rashid B
For more information, please see:
https://www.iafastro.org/events/iac/iac-2021/technical-programme-2021/special-sessions/friday-29-october-2021/regional-cooperation-and-national-space-legislation.html

Dr. YAMAKAWA Hiroshi, President of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) had an online meeting with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator, Sen. Bill Nelson on August 5, 2021. Dr. YAMAKAWA and Sen. Nelson exchanged prospects on each agency’s significant projects and JAXA=NASA collaboration (Artemis program, Gateway, ISS (International Space Station), JAXA CubeSats on Artemis1, XRISM (X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission), ACCP (Aerosol, Clouds, Convection and Precipitation) mission, sonic boom of supersonic aircraft, etc.) and confirmed to strengthen partnership.

On July 21, JAXA Washington D.C. Office hosted the online webinar, “JAXA-NASA Cooperation in Addressing the Climate Challenge.”

During the event, Dr. Gavin Schmidt, Senior Climate Advisor (Acting) of NASA, and Prof. Tadahiro Hayasaka, Senior Advisor of JAXA’s Earth Observation Research Center (EORC), presented current and future climate missions of JAXA and NASA. They also discussed the importance of international partnership in addressing climate change.

Any member of the public can now watch the recording of this seminar on YouTube. To view the video or for more information, visit:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la6mEEaTWWQ.

Prof. Tadahiro Hayasaka (Upper left), Dr. Gavin Schmidt (Upper right), and Dr. Masami Onoda, Director of JAXA Washington D.C. Office (Moderator) (Bottom)

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) is pleased to announce the opening of the 7th round of KiboCUBE program. This program offers an opportunity for the selected entity located in developing countries to deploy 1U CubeSat (10cm³-sized small satellite) from the Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” of the International Space Station (ISS). So far, 6 winners have been selected in this program, out of which 3 winners have successfully deployed their CubeSats from Kibo.
An increasing number of CubeSats have been developed in recent years for its cost-effectiveness, educational value, and as a testbed for new technology. To raise awareness about the CubeSat technology in developing countries, JAXA and UNOOSA jointly provide an educational opportunity: KiboCUBE Academy in this round. This program takes the form of a series of webinars and interactive sessions by professional lecturers to help participants deepen understanding about the basic knowledge of satellite development.

Please see the below UNOOSA website for more detail.

CubeSat “MIR-SAT1” (the 3rd round winner) deployed from the ISS (2021/06/22)

CubeSat “MIR-SAT1” developed by Mauritius Research and Innovation Council

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) agreed to cooperate on the launch and data exchange for the two JAXA CubeSats on July 2, 2021. Dr. KUNINAKA Hitoshi, Vice President of JAXA/Director General of Institute of Space and Astronautical Science(ISAS) and Ms. Karen Feldstein, Associate Administrator for International and Interagency Relations of NASA signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

On Artemis I, NASA plans to demonstrate its new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for the first time and send an uncrewed Orion spacecraft into deep space. NASA also plans to take advantage of additional available mass and volume to provide the opportunity to send small satellites, called CubeSats, into space to conduct experiments for future exploration. JAXA’s EQUULEUS(EQUilibriUm Lunar-Earth point 6U Spacecraft) and OMOTENASHI（Outstanding MOon exploration TEchnologies demonstrated by NAno Semi-Hard Impactor）are two of the CubeSats that are planned to launch as part of the Artemis I mission.
EQUULEUS will fly to the Second Lagrange Point (L2) of the Earth-Moon system and conduct science missions regarding the Earth’s plasmasphere. OMOTENASHI will demonstrate the feasibility of ultra-small spacecraft landing technology and monitor radiation in the lunar vicinity.

For more information, visit:

EQUULEUS:
https://www.space.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/equuleus/en/External Link

OMOTENASHI:
https://www.isas.jaxa.jp/home/omotenashi/index.html

Artemis:
https://www.nasa.gov/artemisprogramExternal Link

President Yamakawa of JAXA and Chief Executive Dr. Graham Turnock of the United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA) have signed today a Memorandum of Cooperation Regarding Aerospace Cooperation for Peaceful Purposes (MOC). The signing ceremony was graced by the presence of H.E. Ms. Julia Longbottom, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Japan, and H.E. Mr. Hayashi Hajime, Ambassador of Japan to the United Kingdom.

Based on a successful track record of bilateral cooperation and the mutual desire to enhance future collaboration, the MOC promotes cooperation between the two space agencies in a wide range of areas such as aerospace research and development, space science and exploration, earth observation and satellite applications, and the sustainable and safe use of the orbital environment.
The MOC also stipulates that UK entities approved by UKSA can formulate implementing arrangements with JAXA under this framework. As its first case, JAXA signed on the same day an implementing arrangement with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) for technical and scientific cooperation on space situational awareness.
With the signing of this MOC with UKSA, JAXA aims to engage in various collaborations with UK laboratories, universities, and industry partners in order to contribute to the resolution of global issues.

(left to right)
H.E. Ms. Julia Longbottom CMG, British Ambassador to Japan
Dr. Yamakawa Hiroshi, President Yamakawa of JAXA
Dr. Graham Turnock, CEO of UKSA
H.E. Mr. HAYASHI Hajime, Ambassador of Japan to the United Kingdom
Mr. Nicholas Whiteley, Space Group Leader of DSTL
Mr. Ogawa Shinji, Director of Space Tracking and Communications Center

President Yamakawa of JAXA and Director General Marciano of the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) have signed today a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) on Space Development and Application. The signing ceremony was graced by the presence of H.E. Mr. Jose Castillo Laurel V, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to Japan, and H.E. Mr. Koshikawa, Ambassador of Japan to the Philippines. At the closure of the signing ceremony, Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) also gave a congratulatory address.

JAXA has been building a close cooperative relationship with the Philippines since before the establishment of PhilSA through its promotion of disaster management-related research in the Philippines, the deployment of PHL-Microsat-1 or “DIWATA-1,” the first Philippines-made microsatellite, from the Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo" on the International Space Station in 2016, and the launch of the PHL-Microsat-2 or "DIWATA-2" onboard the H-IIA launch vehicle in 2018.

With the conclusion of this MOC, the two organizations will further strengthen their cooperation.

President Yamakawa of JAXA (Top left)
Director General Marciano of the Philippine Space Agency (Top right)
H.E. Mr. Koshikawa, Ambassador of Japan to the Philippines (Bottom Left)
H.E. Mr. Jose Castillo Laurel V, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to Japan (Bottom right)

Dr. Yamakawa, President of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and Dr. Philippe Baptiste, Chair and Executive Officer of Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), met virtually on June 7, 2021.
On the occasion of their first meeting, Dr. Yamakawa and Dr. Baptiste exchanged views on the ongoing collaboration and shared a view on promoting partnership building on the wide range of cooperation between JAXA and CNES.

Dr. YAMAKAWA Hiroshi, President of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Minister INOUE Shinji of State for Space Policy of Japan, and Minister HAGIUDA Koichi of Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan had a courtesy call with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator, Sen. Bill Nelson on May 21, 2021. This was the first call for NASA with an international partner since Sen. Nelson was sworn in as the Administrator on May 3. The importance of Japan-U.S. space cooperation and necessity of strengthening partnership was reaffirmed at the call.

Online courtesy call (upper left: Minister HAGIUDA, upper right: Dr. YAMAWAKA,
lower left: Sen. Nelson, lower right: Minister INOUE)

Dr. YAMAKAWA Hiroshi, President of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Cnel. DEM (R) Liduvino Vielman Díaz, President of the Paraguayan Space Agency (AEP) signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) on March 14, 2021.

It was signed on the same day the first Paraguayan satellite GUARANISAT-1 successfully deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) Japanese Experiment Module (KIBO) into orbit.

Based on this LOI, JAXA and AEP have confirmed mutual intention to start dialogues to explore possibilities of cooperation in space activities for peaceful purposes.

Signing the LOI (left: Cnel. DEM (R) Liduvino Vielman Díaz, AEP President / right: Dr. YAMAWAKA Hiroshi, JAXA President)

Dr. YAMAKAWA Hiroshi, President of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Dr. Jean Yves Le Gall, President of National Centre for Space Studies (CNES), held an online bilateral meeting on February 25, 2021.

Dr. Yamakawa shared the successful sample return from asteroid “Ryugu” by Asteroid Explorer Hayabusa2 with Dr. Le Gall and expressed his gratitude to CNES for its cooperation in providing MicrOmega, the infrared spectroscopy microscope for the analysis of samples from asteroid “Ryugu”.

The status of cooperative activities between the two agencies was also confirmed, including that of Earth Observation, Space Science and Space Transportation. Dr. Yamakawa agreed with Dr. Le Gall to promote the JAXA-CNES relationship further.

Dr. YAMAKAWA Hiroshi, President of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Dr. Jan Wörner, Director-General of European Space Agency (ESA), took part in an online bilateral meeting on February 4, 2021.

The status of cooperative activities between the two agencies was confirmed, including that for Earth Observation, Space Science and Space Exploration.
Dr. Yamakawa also agreed to promote the JAXA-ESA relationship further with Dr. Josef Aschbacher, Director of Earth Observation and DG-elect of ESA.

Taking the opportunity of this bilateral meeting, two agreements concerning the cooperation on Hera, an ESA-led mission, and MMX, a JAXA-led mission, were concluded.

Hera is an ESA-led international planetary defense mission to carry out observations of NASA’s DART mission’s impact on the binary asteroid Didymos. Under this agreement, JAXA contributes to the mission by providing the thermal infrared camera and science collaboration. See below for the detail of the Hera mission.

MMX is JAXA’s exploration mission, which plans to collect a sample from the Martian moon, Phobos, to bring back to Earth.
The above agreement paves the way for ESA to provide JAXA with onboard communication components for the probe and assist in satellite tracking control. ESA’s contribution through science cooperation is also within the agreement scope. See below for the detail of the MMX mission.

Dr. YAMAKAWA Hiroshi, President of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mr. Giorgio Saccoccia, President of Italian Space Agency (ASI), signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) on October 16, 2020. This MOC succeeds to the spirit of cooperation framework between the two agencies commenced in 2010 and is intended to accelerate further collaboration. The signing ceremony was organized online between Tokyo and Rome.

On the basis of this MOC, JAXA and ASI continue collaborative activities in areas such as (1) Space science and exploration, (2) Earth observation and related applications, (3) Space transportation, (4) ISS and related utilization.

Dr. YAMAKAWA Hiroshi, President of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Dr. Megan Clark, Head of Australian Space Agency (ASA), signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) on July 7, 2020. The Australian Ambassador to Japan, His Excellency Mr. Richard Court and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Australia, His Excellency Mr. TAKAHASHI Reiichiro were in attendance. The signing ceremony was organized online between Tokyo and Canberra. The conclusion of the MOC between JAXA and ASA was welcomed by the Prime Ministers of Japan and Australia during the Summit Meeting held on July 9, 2020.

Based on this MOC, JAXA and ASA will consider cooperation in areas such as (1) space applications, (2) space technologies, (3) space environment utilization, (4) space science and space exploration and (5) space education and outreach.

Through further cooperation in the space field between Japan and Australia, JAXA and ASA, as significant partners, will contribute to invigorating space-related activities in the Asia-Pacific region.

Dr. YAMAKAWA Hiroshi, President of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Dr. Anond Snidvongs, Executive Director of Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) of Thailand signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on space utilization on November 28, 2019.

In light of the achievements since the conclusion of the agreement between JAXA and GISTDA in 2001, in addition to the existing areas of cooperation, such as (1) earth observation and satellite applications, and (2) exchange personnel, researchers and engineers, the following two new areas are added under the MOU: (3) space environment utilization and space exploration, and (4) promotion of space industries.
It is anticipated that the new MOU will further promote the use of the Japanese Experiment mModule “Kibo” of the International Space Station and the development of space industries, and broaden and deepen the collaboration activities between two parties.

Dr. YAMAKAWA Hiroshi, President of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mr. Marat Nurguzhin, Vice Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between JAXA and the Aerospace Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan (KAZCOSMOS) on November 27, 2019.

Due to the reorganization of ministries and agencies in Kazakhstan Government, the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan has the jurisdiction over KAZCOSMOS since June 2019. Therefore, the areas of cooperation defined in the 2010 memorandum between JAXA and the National Space Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan was reviewed in light of the current activities of both agencies, and a new comprehensive MOU was signed between the heads of JAXA and KAZCOSMOS.

It is anticipated that the new MOU will expand and deepen the collaboration activities between both parties.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has agreed to cooperate with Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) on the study-phase activities in JAXA’s Martian Moons eXploration(MMX) mission and analysis of Hayabusa2-returned samples.
Hiroshi Yamakawa, President of JAXA and Jean-Yves LE GALL, President of CNES signed the two Implementing Arrangements for MMX and Hayabusa2 cooperation on June 26, 2019.

On the occasion of the visit by Mr. Emanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, to Japan, the exchange ceremony of the signed two Implementing Arrangements took place at the Prime Minister’s Office of Japan in the presence of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Emmanuel Macron.

The MMX mission is planned to observe Mars’ two moons, Phobos and Deimos and to collect surface material from one of the moons to bring back to Earth. It aims to clarify the origin of the Martian moons and the process of evolution for Mars region and to improve technologies required for future exploration.
MMX is currently in the phase of preparation for developing a spacecraft and the launch is targeted in FY2024.

CNES will contribute to this mission by providing the near infrared spectrometer (MacrOmega) and the knowledge and expertise of the Flight Dynamics, as well as by conducting studies of rover which is to be equipped on MMX spacecraft jointly with German Aerospace Center (DLR).

For more information on MMX, visit:

Hayabusa2 is a successor of Hayabusa. By investigating the asteroid Ryugu（type-C asteroid）and collecting samples for return to Earth, it aims to clarify the origins and evolution of Earth as well as organic materials that formed the oceans and the life.
Hayabusa2 was launched on December 3, 2014 and arrived at Ryugu in June 2018. It is scheduled to return to Earth at the end of 2020.

Under this agreement, CNES will provide the infrared spectroscopy microscope (MicrOmega) to be equipped in JAXA Extraterrestrial Samples Curation Center. It will contribute to improve the analysis of asteroid samples. In addition, this agreement stipulates the data policy which defines how to share and manage data from the MicrOmega.

For more information on Hayabusa2, visit:

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has agreed to cooperate with German Aerospace Center (DLR) on the study-phase activities in JAXA's Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission.
Hitoshi Kuninaka, Vice President of JAXA and, Hansjörg Dittus and Walther Pelzer, Executive Board Members of DLR have signed the Implementing Arrangement at the Paris Airshow in France on June 18, 2019.

The MMX mission is planned to observe Mars' two moons, Phobos and Deimos and to collect surface material from one of the moons to bring back to Earth. It aims to clarify the origin of the Martian moons and the process of evolution for Mars region and to improve technologies required for future exploration. DLR will contribute to this mission by conducting studies of the rover which is to be equipped on MMX jointly with Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) and by providing JAXA with opportunities of experiments using the Drop Tower in Germany. DLR will also support German scientists for their participation in the MMX mission.

MMX is currently in the phase of preparation for developing a spacecraft and the launch is targeted in FY2024.

For more information on MMX, visit: MMX Web Site.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has agreed to cooperate with European Space Agency (ESA) on the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy
Mission: XRISM.
Hiroshi Yamakawa, President of JAXA and Johann-Dietrich Wörner, Director General of ESA have signed the agreement in presence of ESA Council Delegates at the European Space Operation Center in Darmstadt, Germany on June 14, 2019.

The XRISM project, kicked off in 2018, is the seventh X-ray astronomy satellite program of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, JAXA. It aims at the early recovery of the prime science objective "to solve outstanding astrophysical questions with high resolution X-ray spectroscopy" of ASTRO-H whose operation was ceased in 2016.

Under the agreement, JAXA and ESA have agreed to apply the cooperation developed through ASTRO-H in XRISM. In addition to contributing to the development of one of XRISM's most important instruments, the Soft X-ray Spectrometer, ESA will also support European scientists for their participation in the XRISM project.

XRISM is currently under development and is scheduled to be launched in FY2021.

For more information on XRISM, visit: XRISM Web Site.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) is pleased to announce the opening of the fifth round of KiboCUBE.

Please refer to the following website for further details regarding the applications for the KiboCUBE fifth round ("Announcement of Opportunity"). The application due date is September 30. We look forward to receiving many applicants and contributing to the capacity building of your country!

Application details:
http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/psa/hsti/kibocube/3.2019.html

(Reference 1)
KiboCUBE programme is a collaboration programme between JAXA and UNOOSA to offer developing countries the opportunity to deploy small satellites from the Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo" on the International Space Station (ISS).

(Reference 2) Results of past selection
A team from the University of Nairobi (Kenya) was granted for the 1st round of KiboCUBE, and the satellite was deployed from Kibo in May, 2018.
A team from Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (Guatemala) was granted for the second round of KiboCUBE. A team from Mauritius Research Council (Mauritius) and a team from Surya University (Indonesia) were granted for the third round of KiboCUBE. JAXA and OOSA are currently under selection of the fourth round of KiboCUBE.

H.E. Mr. William F. Hagerty, U.S. Ambassador to Japan, visited Tsukuba Space Center on February 15, 2019.

JAXA and the U.S. related organizations have built a long and close relationship in a wide range of activities including the International Space Station and space exploration, Earth and space science, aeronautics research and so on.

Ambassador Hagerty visited the Exhibition Hall "Space Dome" and the Kibo* Mission Control Room, and the Ambassador also met with Dr. Hiroshi Yamakawa, President of JAXA, or other JAXA officials. Both sides exchanged views on aerospace cooperation between JAXA and its counterpart agencies in the U.S.

*Kibo; Japanese Experiment Module of the International Space Station

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have agreed to cooperate on the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission: XRISM. On October 2, 2018, Hiroshi Yamakawa, President of JAXA, and Jim Bridenstine, Administrator of NASA, signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Bremen, Germany.
In this MOU, JAXA and NASA agreed to strengthen cooperative ties fostered during the development of the X-ray astronomy satellite (ASTRO-H).
In addition, JAXA, NASA, and the European Space Agency (ESA) will contribute components for the soft X-ray spectroscopic imaging system. JAXA and NASA will also cooperate on ground support equipment to process the observed data. Those data will be provided to scientists worldwide through each data center.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) is pleased to announce the opening of the fourth round of KiboCUBE.

Please refer to the following website for further details regarding the applications for the KiboCUBE fourth round (“Announcement of Opportunity”). The application due date is January 31. We look forward to receiving many applicants and contributing to the capacity building of your country!

Application details:
http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/psa/hsti/kibocube.html

(Reference 1)
KiboCUBE programme is a collaboration programme between JAXA and UNOOSA to offer developing countries the opportunity to deploy small satellites from the Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” on the International Space Station (ISS).

(Reference 2) Results of past selection
A team from the University of Nairobi (Kenya) was granted e for the 1st round of KiboCUBE, and the satellite was deployed from Kibo in May, 2018.
A team from Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (Guatemala) was granted for the second round of KiboCUBE, and the satellite is scheduled to be deployed in JFY 2018.
A team from Mauritius Research Council (Mauritius) and a team from Surya University (Indonesia) was granted for the third round of KiboCUBE. The satellites are scheduled to be deployed in JFY 2019.

Dr. Hiroshi Yamakawa, President of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (hereinafter referred to as JAXA), and Prof. Dr. Chau Van Minh, President of the Vietnam Academy of Science & Technology (hereinafter referred to as VAST), signed the revised the “Agreement Concerning Examination and Definition of Potential Cooperation on Space Development and Application".

In acknowledgement of active bi-lateral cooperation since the agreement was signed in 2006, the two agencies made the revision to include two new areas of cooperation, namely space science and public outreach, in addition to the five-existing areas, such as remote sensing and its applications and small satellite development and its applications.

It is hoped that this revision of the agreement will further facilitate and broaden VAST-JAXA cooperation, such as in the establishment of the Vietnam Space Museum, scheduled to open in 2020 in the Hoa Lac Hi-tech Park in Hanoi, for which JAXA will provide advice on museum exhibits and the operation of the museum.

On August 27, 2018, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) signed a “Joint Statement on Collaborative Efforts for Lunar Exploration and Beyond.”

Responding to the letter from NASA Administrator Mr. Jim Bridenstine to JAXA President Mr. Hiroshi Yamakawa dated August 9, 2018 in which NASA invited Japan to participate in the NASA Exploration Campaign, including a “Gateway” platform orbiting the Moon, and under the common understanding that the exploration architecture could benefit from contributions and technological expertise from NASA and JAXA, the agencies recognized that the advanced features of Japanese technology such as HTV-X could increase sustainability and capacity to support diverse mission objectives in cis-lunar space and on the lunar surface.

The agencies also took note on the key role of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion to transport humans to the cislunar region, including the Gateway, as well as JAXA’s intent to provide a subset of the critical functions of the Gateway.

Additionally, the agencies affirmed their intentions to continue joint discussions to seek out opportunities for collaborating in exploration on and beyond the Moon by utilizing robotic spacecraft, landers, and rovers.

Both agencies will initiate concrete proposals on their share of responsibilities to obtain endorsement from their respective stakeholders.

Presenters
　Mr.Koichi Wakata, Vice President and Director General, Human Space Flight Technology Directorate, JAXA
　Mr.William H. Gerstenmaier, Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations, NASA

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) organized UNISPACE+50 from June 18th to 21st, 2018 in Vienna International Center, Austria to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of UNISPACE I (Reference 1). More than 70 countries and organizations, and participants from ministerial level (14 participants) and heads of agencies (10 participants) participated in the conference. Ambassador Kitano, Permanent Representative and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna represented the Japanese delegation. Dr. Yamakawa, JAXA President, also participated in the conference.

During the high-level segment of UNISPACE+50, Dr. Yamakawa represented Japan and made a statement regarding Japan's recent space activities. He also delivered a speech during the Heads of Agencies Panel, and introduced JAXA's contributions to SDGs. He had meetings with various space agencies and signed two agreements—agreement regarding the extension of KiboCUBE cooperation programme with UNOOSA, and an implementation agreement concerning cooperation on validations, improvement, and applications of rainfall products using satellite images and ground measurements with Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). (Reference 2,3)

JAXA and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) signed the Implementation Arrangement (IA) concerning cooperation on validations, improvements, and applications of rainfall products using satellite images and ground measurements.

This cooperation was agreed between JAXA and ISRO under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which was concluded in November 2016 between both agencies to promote collaboration in the space field. JAXA will provide observation data of Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM)/ Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) and Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP), while ISRO will provide observation data of ISRO meteorological satellite and ISRO’s ground instruments, and both agencies will analyze the data for improving rainfall products. Also, JAXA and ISRO will contribute to the enhancement of satellite data applications especially in the Asia region where there is heavy annual rainfall. Application includes improvement in accuracy of the Numerical Weather Prediction by using satellite data.

On May 1, 2018, Dr. Hiroshi Yamakawa, JAXA President and Mr. Yoshimasa Hayashi, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology met with Mr. Jim Bridenstine, Administrator of NASA at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC.

Dr. Yamakawa expressed his congratulations to Mr. Bridenstine on his appointment as NASA Administrator, and they exchanged views on US-Japan space cooperation including the International Space Station (ISS) program and the future space exploration. They also confirmed that they will further strengthen the cooperation between two agencies.

In addition, Dr. Yamakawa and Mr. Masaji Matsuyama, Minister of State for Space Policy met with Dr. Dmitry Rogozin, General Director of State Space Corporation ROSCOSMOS at the Kremlin in Moscow by taking opportunity of the live communication event between two countries’ leaders and the ISS.

Dr. Yamakawa expressed his congratulations to Dr. Rogozin on his appointment as General Director of ROSCOSMOS, and they confirmed that they will continue the good relationship and further strengthen the cooperation in the space field.

The 20th session of the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF-20), under the main theme entitled "Values From Space: 20 years of Asia-Pacific Experiences," successfully concluded its four-day program on Friday, December 6, 2013, at Melia Hanoi Hotel, in Hanoi, Vietnam. APRSAF-20 was jointly organized by the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT), and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Approximately 420 participants from 28 countries and 8 international organizations attended the session.
APRSAF-20, as in the past, consisted of four working-group sessions that were held in parallel in the first two days and a plenary session in the second half of the forum. There were also relevant events in conjunction with APRSAF-20 such as a water rocket event, a SAFE workshop, a Kibo-ABC workshop, a poster contest, and an exhibition.
Dr. Keisuke Isogai, Deputy Director General, Research and Development Bureau, MEXT, participated in the event as the general co-chair, Mr. Eigo Nomura, Counsellor, Office of National Space Policy, Cabinet Office of JAPAN, made a keynote address, Prof. Setsuko Aoki, Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University, made a special speech in the plenary session.
Annual activity reports were made by space agency representatives from each country. Dr. Naoki Okumura, President of JAXA, reported on the recent JAXA activities (the deployment of the Vietnam small satellite "PicoDragon" from the ISS, the inaugural launch of the Epsilon rocket, Earth observation projects on disaster management and environment) and a future action plan (GPM and ALOS-2 satellites), and expressed the expectation for further development of the APRSAF. We also had presentations from international organizations such as the Group on Earth Observation (GEO), the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN-COPUOS), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) and the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) about their expectations for expansion of cooperation in the region.
This time, the first trial of its kind in APRSAF has been made. The first joint statement for further space cooperation in the region by representatives from space agencies in the Asia-Pacific and past co-organizers of APRSAF was released through a panel discussion at the plenary. As part of a memorable 20th session, a special event "Values From ISS," moderated by Dr. Satoshi Furukawa, Japanese Astronaut, also took place and a video message from Dr. Koichi Wakata, the Japanese Astronaut now aboard the International Space Station (ISS), was delivered from space. At the event, some cooperation missions were introduced with Asian countries for the utilization of the Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo" to encourage further cooperation in the region through the ISS.
It was announced at the last plenary session, on December 6, that the next session, APRSAF-21, will be hosted by MEXT and JAXA and would take place in Tokyo, Japan.