The Noshiro Testing Center (NTC) is a research facility affiliated with JAXA. It is on a long narrow strip of land from North to South facing the Sea of Japan in the southern part of Noshiro-city, Akita Prefecture. The NTC was established in 1962 to conduct various static-firing tests of solid motors necessary for researching and developing launch vehicles for scientific satellites and space probes, Mu Series Rockets, and for sounding rockets launched from the Uchinoura Space Center. The NTC has a big advantage of being able to maintain a 1-km (maximum) distance for safety, thus it plays an important role in Japan for R&D on propellant engines for space.

Currently the NTC is also used for various outdoor experiments including technical element tests, static firing tests of air turbo ram jet engines whose propellants are liquid oxygen, lifting and landing tests of a reusable test vehicle with a small liquid hydrogen and oxygen rocket engine, static firing tests of an N20/ethanol propellant system, and outdoor driving tests of a jet engine.

In addition, the NTC is utilized for the collaborative activity of application and research among universities, which is promoted by the ISAS. Since 2009, a thermal fluidity test of liquid hydrogen has been conducted in cooperation with Kyoto University, and Akita University also uses the NTC as an educational site for its students. Many collaborative research plans including a hybrid launch vehicle project are scheduled.

At the Noshiro Testing Center, JAXA carries out static-firing tests on various solid rocket motors, and basic experiments on liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen rocket engines. In parallel, landing experiments of reusable launch vehicles are carried out for the next generation space transportation systems. Visitors can observe the experiments held at the Center.

Some of the facilities are open to the public for tours (40 minutes)
* Advanced bookings are required.