JAXA is proud to announce that Mr. Chu Ishida, Senior Expert at Satellite Applications and Operation Center (SAOC), Space Technology Directory I, won the 2020 GEO Individual Excellence Awards. This award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional personal commitment to the mission of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and whose work has had a tangible impact to improve our planet through Earth observations.

On November 11, 2020, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have agreed to cooperate in the development of DESTINY⁺. Dr. Hitoshi Kuninaka, Vice President of JAXA and Dr. Walther Pelzer, Executive Board Members of DLR signed the Implementing Arrangement (IA) stating the cooperation.

Combining science and engineering, DESTINY⁺ aims to realize; high speed flyby tracking imaging of the Geminids meteor shower parent body Phaethon, clarifying the facts of meteor shower parent body which is the origin of the dusts and the nature of dusts that are considered to be key sources of organic compounds to Earth by in-situ analyses of interplanetary and interstellar dusts, and demonstrating the technologies of small deep space explorer using Epsilon size rocket and ion engine.

The IA stipulates that DLR will provide one of the main scientific instruments DDA (DESTINY⁺ Dust Analyzer), and JAXA will have the DDA onboard the explorer and flyby the asteroid Phaethon.

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.