JAXA Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

Establishment of Space Component Engineering Center

National Space Development Agency of Japan

The National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), since its establishment, has been strengthening its basic technology by setting up R& D and supply systems related to space parts and materials which are fundamental for ensuring reliability and quality of launch vehicles, satellites and other space system.

NASDA establishes the Space Component Engineering Center on April 1, 2003 to consolidate and operate the existing several component offices, with the background that enhanced reliability and ensured autonomy of space activities are regarded as an important item, and that stable supply system related to high quality space components need to be restructured.

The Center, which is open to the government sector, universities and private companies, intends not only to promote R&D activities conducted by the existing space component expert groups of NASDA's Office of Research and Development, but also to focus on promotion of consistent project cooperation, quality assessment of foreign and domestic components, and facilitated conversion of civilian parts technology to space.

As part of its activities, the Center makes the technical information public regarding space common components including qualified components, qualified test specifications and so on.

The service is available internationally from April 1, 2003 and expected to be widely utilized.

Name:

Space Component Engineering Center (at the Office of Research and Development)

Activities:

(1) Formulation of R&D/Support Plan, Component R&D, Quality and Technology Assessment of Foreign and Domestic Components,
(2) Cross-Sectional Project Cooperation about Components Covering from their Selection to Post-Launch Evaluations,
(3) Collection of Technical Information on Components and Promotion of their Utilization.