The history of ISAS began in 1955 with the PENCIL rocket launch experiment at the University of Tokyo. In 1964, the Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science was founded in the University of Tokyo. Japan's first artificial satellite OHSUMI was launched and put into orbit by an L-4S rocket using solid propellant. Since then, ISAS has cultivated its unique climate that its missions are achieved based on the concurrent and synergetic efforts of two groups of people; space science staff who research the mysteries of space, and engineering R&D staff who work to comply with the needs of space science. In 1981, the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) was born as a joint research organization among Japanese universities.
| 2003 | May. | Asteroid Sample-return Spacecraft "Hayabusa"(MUSES-C) was launched by M-V-5. |
| 2001 | Feb. | DASH (Demonstrator of Atmospheric Reentry System with Hyper Velocity) was launched by H-IIA Launch Vehicle No.2. * DASH could not reach its planned trajectory because of failure of separation from the payload mount. |
| Jan. | Placed under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology following a reorganization of government ministries. | |
| 2000 | Feb. | X-ray Astronomy Satellite (ASTRO-E) was launched by M-V-4. * The launcher could not put the satellite into orbit because of the lack of final velocity due to 1st stage combustion failure. |
| 1999 | May. | Super Pressure Balloon Experiment. |
| 1998 | Jul. | Mars Orbiter "NOZOMI"(PLANET-B) was launched by M-V-3. |
| Jan. | Launch of Sounding Rocket SS-520-1. | |
| 1997 | Dec. | Radio-Astronomical Satellite "HALCA"(MUSES-B) was launched by M-V-1. |
| 1996 | Jan. | SFU recovered by the Space Shuttle Endeavor. |
| 1995 | Apr. | Center for Advanced Spacecraft Technology established. |
| Mar. | Launch of SFU, the space experiment/observation free flyer. | |
| Jan. | M-3SII-8 launched EXPRESS satellite. * Because of 2nd stage failure, the satellite could not reach its planned trajectory and fell to the earth in its third round. It was found in Africa ten months later, and provided helpful data for reentry test. |
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| 1993 | Apr. | The Center for Planning and Information Systems established (converted from Space Science and Technological Information Analysis Center.). |
| Feb. | M-3SII-7 launched X-ray astronomical satellite ASUKA. | |
| 1992 | Jul. | Launch of GEOTAIL, a satellite to observe the magnetospheric tail. |
| 1991 | Aug. | M-3SII-6 launched solar observation satellite YOHKOH. |
| 1990 | Jan | M-3SII-5 launched engineering testing satellite HITEN. |
| 1989 | Apr. | The Institute of Space and Astronautical Science moved from Tokyo to Kanagawa Sagamihara-city Pref. |
| Feb. | Aurora observation satellite Akebono launched with M-3SII-4. | |
| 1987 | May | Space Utilization Research Center founded. |
| Feb. | M-3SII-3 succeeded in launching X-ray astronomical satellite GINGA. | |
| 1985 | Aug. | M-3SII-2 succeeded in launching SUISEI to study Halley's Comet. |
| Jan. | M-3SII-1 succeeded in launching Japan's first interplanetary explorer SAKIGAKE. | |
| 1984 | Oct. | Usuda Deep Space Center established. |
| Feb. | M-3SII-4 succeeded in launching OHZORA (EXOS-C). | |
| 1983 | Nov. | SEPAC experiment conducted. |
| Feb. | M-3S-3 launched, carrying TENMA (ASTRO-B), X-ray astronomy satellite. | |
| 1981 | Apr. | The Institute of Space and Astronautical Science founded. |
| Feb | M-3S-2 launched, carrying HINOTORI (ASTRO-A) | |
| 1980 | Apr. | Research and preparatory committee formed in the University of Tokyo to create a "central laboratory for space science." |
| Jan. | Launch of Sounding Rocket S-520-1. | |
| 1979 | Apr. | Space Science and Technological Information Analysis Center established. |
| Feb. | M-3C-4 launched X-ray astronomical satellite HAKUCHO. | |
| 1978 | Feb. | M-3H-2 launched, carrying KYOKKO (EXOS-A) |
| 1977 | Jul. | Static firing test of liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen rocket started at Noshiro Testing Center. |
| Feb. | SEPAC scientific experiment project using the Space Shuttle and Spacelab-1 started. | |
| 1976 | Feb. | M-3C-3 launched CORSA satellite. * The satellite was not put into orbit due to control system failure. |
| 1975 | Oct. | The Science Council, the Ministry of Education, submitted a report on "Promotion of Space Science." |
| Feb. | M-3C-2 launched, carrying TAIYO (SRATS). It aimed to observe soft X-rays and ultraviolet radiation from the sun, etc. | |
| Jan. | Launch of Sounding Rocket S-310-1. | |
| 1974 | Feb. | M-3C-1 launched, carrying TANSEI-2 (MS-T2). |
| - 1978 | Mesurement of Crab Nebula's Hard X-ray image by Scientific Ballooning. | |
| 1972 | Aug. | M-4S-4 launched, carrying DENPA (REX) . It aimed to observe plasmawave, plasma density, etc. in space. |
| 1971 | Sep. | M-4S-3 launched, carrying SHINSEI (MS-F2), the first Japanese scientific satellite.? |
| Jul. | Meteorological rocket developed by the University of Tokyo started observation at the Meteorological Rocket Observation Station (Ryori, Iwate Pref.) of the Japan Meteorological Agency. | |
| Feb. | M-4S-2 launched, carrying TANSEI satellite. | |
| 1970 | Nov. | Sanriku Balloon Center established. |
| Sep. | M-4S-1 launched. * Satellite was not put into orbit due to sequence malfunction after 4th stage ignition. |
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| Feb. | Sounding rocket developed by the University of Tokyo started observation at the Showa Station in Antarctica. | |
| Feb. | L-4S-5 launched, successfully putting Japan's first artificial satellite OHSUMI into orbit. (Japan was the 4th nation to succeed in satellite launch, following USSR, USA and France.) | |
| 1969 | Sep. | L-4S-4 launched. * Satellite was not put into orbit because the 3rd stage collided with the upper stage. |
| Aug. | Launch of Sounding Rocket S-210-1. | |
| 1968 | Jul. | Large balloon experiment site moved to Haranomachi, Fukushima Pref. |
| 1967 | Apr. | L-4S-3 launched. * Satellite was not put into orbit due to ignition failure of the 3rd stage. |
| Feb. | L-3H-3 launched, reaching an altitude of 2,150km. | |
| 1966 | Dec. | L-4S-2 launched. * Satellite was not put into orbit due to ignition failure of the final stage. |
| Sep. | L-4S-1 launched. * Satellite was not put into orbit due to the abnormal flight of the 3rd stage caused by the improper separation of the 2nd and 3rd stages. |
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| Jul. | Large balloon experiments started at the temporary testing site in Taiyomura, Ibaraki Pref. | |
| 1965 | Nov. | Launch of Sounding Rocket K-10-1. |
| Jun. | Scientific satellite plan presented at the Scientific Satellite Symposium. | |
| 1964 | Jul. | Launch of Japan's first weather observation satellite MT-135-1. |
| Jul. | L-3-1 of the LAMBDA rocket series launched, and reached an altitude of 1,000km. | |
| Apr. | The Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science founded in the University of Tokyo. | |
| 1963 | Apr. | Development of M (Mu) rockets started. |
| 1962 | Nov. | Launch of K-9M-1. (a total 81rockets launched from 1962 to '88) |
| Oct. | Noshiro Testing Center established. | |
| May. | Failure of launch K-8-10, last launch at Akita Testing Center. (a total of 88 rockets launched) | |
| Feb. | Kagoshima Space Center established. | |
| 1961 | Dec. | K-9L-2, mesurement of electron density and temperature over an altitude of 300km. |
| 1960 | Jul. | K-8-1, reached an altitude of 190km. World's first mesurement of ion density. |
| 1958 | Jun. | K-6, the two-stage KAPPA rocket, reached an altitude of 60km. |
| 1955 | Aug. | The Akita Rocket Testing Center established at Michikawa Beach, Akita Pref. (where PENCIL and BABY rockets were launched). |
| Apr. | The Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, horizontally launched PENCIL rocket in Kokubunji, Tokyo. |