October 14, 2026 (JST)

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
Innovative Space Carrier Inc.

 The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (“JAXA”; President: YAMAKAWA Hiroshi) and Innovative Space Carrier Inc. (“ISC”; Headquarters: Chuo Ward, Tokyo; President and CEO: HATADA Kojiro) launched collaboration and co-creation activities aimed at developing a “space transportation business using reusable rockets” in September 2026, under the framework of the JAXA Space Innovation through Partnership and Co-Creation (“J-SPARC”)^*1.
 Through this initiative, we aim to advance the modeling technologies needed to realize reusable rockets and expand the user base beyond research and development institutions to universities and startups, helping achieve more frequent, low-cost space transportation and enhancing Japan’s space transportation capabilities.

 In recent years, the commercialization of reusable rockets has enabled more frequent, lower-cost space transportation services overseas, intensifying the race to develop space transportation systems. In Japan, however, reusable-rocket space transportation services using reusable rockets have yet to materialize, and there is a growing call to accelerate technology demonstration and commercialization amid heating international competition.
 To speed up reusable rocket development, it is important to conduct numerous tests and evaluate designs by simulating the rocket’s actual behavior on a computer. The foundation is modeling technology that reproduces the rocket’s flight behavior, along with the various phenomena and conditions in different parts of the vehicle, in a way that closely resembles reality.
 In developing the airframe system for a reusable rocket, ISC has faced the challenge of creating modeling technology that accurately reproduces and predicts damage and anomalies based on test data from the landing mechanism and engines.
 Meanwhile, JAXA has accumulated knowledge on modeling technologies applicable to landing-leg design and to detect anomalies during vehicle inspections through programs such as the Reusable Vehicle eXperiment (RV-X) and the Cooperative Action Leading to Launcher Innovation for Stage Toss-back Operation (CALLISTO)^*2 that aim at reusing the first stage of a rocket. However, JAXA still faces challenges in improving model accuracy by comparing and verifying against test data, as well as in developing universal models that apply beyond a specific vehicle type.
 Now, ISC and JAXA will pool their test data and modeling technologies in a co-creative activities to address each organization’s challenges.

 ISC will provide an overview and design models of its ASCA-series launch vehicles as reference materials, conduct tests specifically on the “landing mechanism” and “engine”, and share the resulting data with JAXA that include “deformation and distortion” and “flow rate and pressure in the piping.”
 JAXA will use ISC's hardware test data to improve the accuracy of its analytical models and develop more versatile modeling technology independent of specific vehicle designs. Meanwhile, JAXA will provide ISC with technical support on application methods and analytical techniques for the improved model, enabling ISC to use it in its own development efforts.

 Through this co-creation activities, we aim to establish highly accurate, universal modeling technologies based on test data to accelerate reusable rocket development and the early realization of low-cost, high-frequency space transportation services. Furthermore, we aim to boost Japan’s space transportation capabilities by building a technological foundation for realizing a reusable space transportation system.