Hera, the asteroid explorer for the binary asteroid exploration program of the same name, was launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket and inserted into the designated orbit around midnight (Japan Standard Time, JST) on October 7. The mission, led by the European Space Agency (ESA), uses the Thermal InfraRed Imager (TIRI) developed by JAXA, installed on Hera. This TIRI was also activated last night (October 10), confirming its functional integrity. The arrival at the target binary asteroids Didymos and Dimorphos is scheduled for December 2026, and JAXA will continue to collaborate closely with ESA on this project.

Today, I would like to present three topics.

● Successful Optical Inter-Satellite Communication Between DAICHI-4 and Laser Utilizing Communication System (LUCAS)

The first topic is regarding the operational status of DAICHI-4.
In the last press conference, I introduced the two-way laser communication test scheduled with the Optical Data Relay Satellite as part of the initial functional verification operations for DAICHI-4. We have confirmed that bidirectional capturing and tracking have been successfully established through laser communication between DAICHI-4 and the Laser Utilizing Communication System (LUCAS), which comprises the Optical Data Relay Satellite and ground facilities, resulting in successful command transmission to and telemetry data retrieval from DAICHI-4.
As LUCAS aboard the Optical Data Relay Satellite and DAICHI-4 are approximately 40,000 km apart, both satellites orbiting at high speed, the establishment of bidirectional capturing and tracking between them is challenging.
Nevertheless, we confirmed the successful establishment of communication between the two satellites, and further verified that data transmitted from DAICHI-4 reached LUCAS at a communication speed of 1.8 Gbps. This is the world’s first successful laser communication at a speed of 1.8 Gbps in the 1.5-μm wavelength band between a geostationary satellite and a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite, representing an increase of approximately 7.5 times the 240 Mbps transmission rate of the preceding Data Relay Test Satellite, Kodama.
The 1.5-μm wavelength band is a wavelength commonly used in terrestrial fiber optic communication networks, and is expected to be used in space in the future. In this context, we believe that the successful establishment of laser communication holds significant importance.
Furthermore, in terms of the window for LEO satellites to transmit their observation data to the ground, the LUCAS-based relay can also be advantageous. The communication window between a typical LEO satellite and a ground station is about one hour per day. By relaying through LUCAS, this window can be extended to approximately nine hours per day. This enables the transmission of data acquired by LEO satellites in areas where they cannot directly communicate with ground stations to those stations through the geostationary satellite almost in real time. Likewise, in emergencies such as disasters, ground stations can transmit commands to LEO satellites through the geostationary satellite for the prompt acquisition of observation data.
We will continue to conduct demonstrations and evaluations using LUCAS and DAICHI-4, including evaluations of the impact of distances and relative positions between the two satellites on communication quality, with an eye toward the practical application of their functionality.
We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to those who have supported these laser communication tests, including government agencies, our prime contractor, NEC Corporation, and other companies and organizations involved in the development, manufacturing, and operation of this system.

● Demonstration Experiment for Children’s MaaS Service Conducted in Tsukuba City

Next, I will introduce our co-creation activities aimed at the implementation of high-precision positioning technology in society, as part of J-SPARC, the JAXA Space Innovation through Partnership and Co-creation program.
Since June 2023, Tokai Clarion Ltd. and JAXA have been engaging in co-creation activities named “Add-on Autonomous Driving ‘YADOCAR-i Drive’” that utilizes satellite positioning technology. YADOCAR-i Drive is a system developed by Tokai Clarion Ltd. that retrofits existing automobiles with autonomous driving functionality. To enhance the positioning accuracy and safety of this autonomous driving system, JAXA has combined it with MADOCA-PPP, a high-accuracy positioning augmentation service that utilizes JAXA’s centimeter-class positioning augmentation signals, and is currently working on demonstrating the system’s effectiveness and convenience, as well as optimizing it.
This time, as part of the co-creation activities, we gained the opportunity to conduct an autonomous driving demonstration experiment using the pedestrian pathways around Tsukuba Station, thanks to the cooperation of Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Tsukuba City aims to implement low-speed autonomous mobility systems in the city that connect pedestrian pathways with nearby major parks, as a service for families with children, supporting the safe transportation of children and their parents.
The demonstration experiment took place from September 30 to October 9, with about 170 participants, primarily elementary to high school students. Some of the children who rode in the vehicle expressed excitement about the realization of the system, while some parents shared feedback, such as how the system could ease the burden of school pick-ups and drop-offs, especially for working families. We will compile the results of the demonstration experiment in the coming period. Given that there are still few examples of autonomous driving demonstrations in environments with heavy pedestrian traffic, we believe we have obtained valuable data.
JAXA will continue to analyze various factors, including the impact of buildings on MADOCA-PPP, to further enhance the system.
We would like to express our gratitude to all the residents of Tsukuba City for their cooperation in the demonstration experiment.

● Updates on the Space Exploration Innovation Hub Center’s 12th Request for Proposals (RFP)

Since 2015, the Space Exploration Innovation Hub Center has been conducting collaborative research projects through public solicitations for research proposals (Request for Proposals, RFP), with the key goal of encouraging business sectors and industries that previously had no connection with the space sector to participate in space exploration activities. This center is based on the concept of Dual Utilization, which emphasizes the creation of terrestrial and space businesses by private companies and other organizations, as well as the discovery of technologies that can be applied to future explorations of the Moon, Mars, and other celestial bodies.
The Center has formed partnerships with 260 organizations for 186 joint research projects, and 90% of these organizations are from non-space-related industries. The Transformable Nano Rover (LEV-2, nicknamed SORA-Q), which landed on the lunar surface in January this year and captured images of SLIM, can be said to have embodied this concept.
On the other hand, as international space exploration plans progress, including the Artemis program, which Japan is also a part of, and space activities by private companies become increasingly vibrant, the environment surrounding space exploration is changing. Therefore, the Space Exploration Innovation Hub Center has set a new goal of Space Dual Utilization, a further development of the conventional Dual Utilization concept, launching a new research project called Moon to Mars Innovation. This project represents a dual effort to advance both space exploration missions by JAXA and the commercialization of space activities by private companies.

Under this research project, we solicited research proposals between July and August this year. For this call for proposals, we set six key themes, including (1) “High-Efficiency Microwave Wireless Power Transmission System on Lunar Surface” and (2) “Fixed Smart Solar Cell Tower System for Lunar Surface” aimed at serving as a power source on the lunar surface in the 2030s.
Out of the 20 proposals we received for the themes, we selected seven projects. The titles of the selected projects will be posted sequentially on the Space Exploration Innovation Hub Center’s website, after coordination with each of the selected organizations.

The Space Exploration Innovation Hub Center will continue to promote the development of technologies for future lunar and planetary explorations led by government agencies and JAXA, serving as an open innovation hub. In parallel, it aims to support private companies in discovering and developing technologies with future potential, contributing to the commercialization of terrestrial sectors as well as to the expansion of business opportunities in the space sector.
We will also continue to expand the co-creation framework with private companies, universities, and other organizations that have had little connection with space, aiming to lower the barriers to their entry into the space sector, while providing support for human resource development.