Rocket launch tomorrow, if successful, will be the first in Japan by a private company in Wakayama

The first small rocket developed by a Tokyo venture company will be launched from Kushimoto Town, Wakayama Prefecture on the 9th.

If the satellite is successfully placed into orbit, it will be the first launch in Japan by a private company alone, and the private sector will join Japan's space development, which until now has been led by the state, increasing its international competitiveness. or get noticed.

What will be launched is the first small solid-fuel rocket, Kairos, developed by Space One, a Tokyo venture company funded by major precision equipment manufacturers and construction companies.

The plan is to launch from Spaceport Kii, a rocket launch site built by this company in Kushimoto Town, Wakayama Prefecture, just after 11 a.m. on the 9th.

The approximately 18-meter-long aircraft carries a small government satellite, and the plan is to detach the aircraft in stages and insert the satellite into orbit around the Earth at an altitude of 500 km after approximately 50 minutes.

If the satellite is successfully placed into orbit this time, it will be the first launch by a private company in Japan.

Demand for launching small satellites is increasing around the world, and the company plans to launch rockets 30 times a year in the 2030s, aiming to become a ``space courier'' that delivers satellites to space at low cost.

This launch will attract attention to see whether Japan's space development, which has been carried out under the leadership of the state, will be able to increase its international competitiveness with the participation of the private sector in the future.

JAXA Chairman Yamakawa ``I pray for success''

At a regular press conference held in Tokyo on the 8th, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Chairman Hiroshi Yamakawa mentioned the launch of a private rocket scheduled for the 9th in Kushimoto Town, Wakayama Prefecture, and said, ``The world is waiting for the launch. There are many satellite operators in the market, and it will be important to capture the market in the future.Among them, if this launch is successful, it will combine with JAXA's ``Epsilon'' and ``H3'' to fill the entire demand for satellites of various sizes. ``This will enable Japan as a whole to respond to various demands from around the world,'' he said of the significance of the launch.

He went on to say, ``Up until now, we have received technical support from JAXA, and I have felt their passion through collaboration.I pray that the launch will be a success.''

Government aims to provide private sector support to 1 trillion yen in 10 years

According to the Cabinet Office, last year there were 212 successful rocket launches around the world, a record high.

Of these, the United States accounted for more than half, 108 times, and approximately 90% of these were made by SpaceX, the space development company whose CEO is Elon Musk.

The backdrop is the increasing demand for launching commercial satellites around the world, and space development is changing into a new business in which the private sector is also participating in addition to the state-led business that has been so far.

The market size continues to expand, and according to estimates by Morgan Stanley, a major American investment bank, the space business market will grow to $1 trillion in 2040, three times the size of 2020, at current exchange rates. It is expected to expand to 150 trillion yen.

In response to these international trends, the Japanese government has set a goal of doubling the domestic space-related market from 4 trillion yen to 8 trillion yen in the early 2030s, in an effort to boost the domestic space business. We are beginning to provide support to the private sector.

As part of a system to support startup companies, a new space-related fund has been established, and four companies were selected for the first time this fiscal year in the rocket development field, which will receive 35 billion yen over five years.

Space One, which will launch its Kairos rocket from Kushimoto Town, Wakayama Prefecture, is one of these companies and plans to receive 320 million yen in support by September this year.

In addition, the government has decided to establish a ``Space Strategy Fund,'' which aims to reach a size of 1 trillion yen in 10 years, and plans to provide funding for space development to private companies and universities.

The basic policy of the fund is currently being discussed by the government, and in terms of rocket development, the goal is to increase the number of launches from just two last year to approximately 30 per year by the early 2030s, including private rockets. The government also states that private rockets will be essential in future rocket development.

Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Moriyama: ``I have great expectations.''

Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Moriyama said at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting, ``If this launch is successful, it will be the first time in Japan that a satellite was launched into orbit using a rocket developed by a private company, so I have high expectations.'' "This could be an important step in space policy. I sincerely hope for the success of the launch, which will propel Japan's space business into the future."