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Tokyo, Japan, September 25, 2019 – Space BD, Japan’s leading space service company, announced the success of their very first launch campaign for their small satellite deployment service from the International Space Station (ISS). The company successfully launched their first customer, the University of Tokyo’s cubesat, ACT-D, stored in a HTV re-supply vehicle via a H-IIB launcher that launched from JAXA’s Tanegashima Space Center at 1:5:5 on Sep. 25, 2019 (JST).

 

The cubesat is an innovative satellite developed by Assoc. Prof. Hiroyuki Koizumi and Assistant Prof. Jun Asakawa of the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Frontier Sciences. The purpose is to demonstrate water-propellant micro thruster for small satellite propulsion system. While conventional propulsion systems for small satellites often use high-pressure and toxic gas as a propellant, the new micro-thruster uses water, making it much less harmful on human body and the environment, and highly suitable for operations from the ISS.

 

Space BD, working together with the University of Tokyo and JAXA, successfully managed the entire integration process to achieve all key milestones including technical integration, safety review, compatibility verification review, and satellite delivery.After this, the satellite will be transported to the ISS by an HTV resupply vehicle and deployed from the Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” on ISS. Space BD will contribute to these technological innovations with a user-friendly, one-stop service to steadily build up their satellite launch business.

 

Sep. 25th, 2019 H-IIB Rocket Launch

＠JAXA’s Tanegashima Space Center

H-IIB Rocket Launch

 

Ryota Fujita (Engineer, Space BD), Hiroyuki Koizumi (Assoc. Prof., The University of Tokyo), Kazuma Momoo (Director, Satellite Launch Service, Space BD) with H-IIB rocket from the left

 

■Aug. 26th, 2019 Handing over of the satellite

＠JAXA’s Tsukuba Space Center

Cubesat：AQT-D

 

Project Member：Space BD、The University of Tokyo、JAXA、etc.

 

 

 

■ About Space BD

Space BD is a space start-up founded in 2017 with the aim of contributing to the development of space industry by becoming the one-stop platform to resolve the range of issues with industrializsation of space, and to remove the burdens for businesses needing support with technology development.
In May 2018, Space BD was selected by JAXA to become the commercial provider of satellite deployment service from the “Kibo” Japanese Experiment Module of the International Space Station (ISS). The company contribues to promote businesses pertaining to the commercialisation of the Low-Earth Orbit centred around the ISS, including internal and external experimental platform.
For more information about Space BD：www.space-bd.com