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Space BD Accelerates Launch Service: CoRAL Satellite with Sapienza University Launched in Just 1.1 Years from Contract Signing
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Tokyo, Japan – November 2025 – Space BD Inc, a leading Japanese space business integrator, and Sapienza University of Rome are pleased to announce the successful launch of the CoRAL satellite on October 21, 2025, at 10:58 am (JST). The satellite was launched aboard Japan’s H3 rocket inside the HTV-X cargo transfer spacecraft, bound for the International Space Station (ISS).
The mission was realized in just 1.1 years from contract signing to launch support by Space BD, far shorter than the typical one and a half to three years required for satellite projects, demonstrating how Space BD’s services accelerate lead time and improve accessibility for satellite developers. After arrival at the ISS, CoRAL will be deployed from the Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” in the coming months.
Handover of CoRAL satellite to JAXA (Sapienza University team)
Delivering Faster Access to Space
Through its comprehensive launch services, Space BD provides a streamlined path from contract to deployment, significantly easing the process for users. By handling technical coordination and providing one-stop integration, the company enables satellite developers to focus on their mission objectives rather than administrative hurdles. CoRAL demonstrates how this approach shortens preparation cycles and makes space utilization more practical and efficient.
Strengthening Japan–Italy Space Collaboration
This mission marks Space BD’s first collaboration with an Italian partner, highlighting the company’s expanding role as a bridge between Japan’s space ecosystem and global partners. By providing launch integration and project support, Space BD contributes to advancing international cooperation in space utilization.
“We are delighted to celebrate the successful launch of CoRAL with Sapienza University, and proud to have supported the mission with an accelerated integration process, achieving launch just 1.1 years after contract signing,” said Kazuya MozumiUser Integration Lead at Space BD.
“We are happy to see CoRAL finally in-orbit and we cannot wait for the deployment and mission commissioning” said Prof. Fabrizio Piergentili, representing the Center for Aerospace Studies (CRAS) and the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMA) at Sapienza University of Rome.
About CoRAL
CoRAL is a 2U CubeSat developed by Thales Alenia Space Italia, Sapienza University of Rome (with the CRAS and the S5Lab research group) and TeleSpazio, S.p.A. under a European Space Agency project.
The aim of the satellite is both to demonstrate shared telemetry systems through low-power communication modules that will help to shape tomorrow’s Internet-of-Things Inter-Satellite communication networks, and to monitor the spectrum for understanding potential Radio-Frequency Interference issues in-orbit.
The project has been developed since 2021, by achieving launch today through the HTV-X1 mission. CoRAL’s long-term aim is, with its demonstration, to suggest the usage of IoT modules for inter-satellite coordination among satellite swarms and constellations.
Mission Specifications
| Release Method | J-SSOD (Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” Small Satellite Orbital Deployer) |
| Launch Vehicle | H3 Rocket — Transported aboard the first H-II Transfer Vehicle “HTV-X1” |
| Target Satellite | CoRAL (Sapienza University of Rome) |
◾️About Sapienza University of Rome
Sapienza University of Rome is the third oldest University in the world (founded in 1303), the largest in terms of student numbers in Europe (approx. 120 thousands of students in all faculties). Within aerospace engineering, Sapienza has a long-standing heritage in the field of small satellites, with its CubeSat missions playing a pioneering role in Italy and Europe. The S5Lab (Sapienza Space Systems and Space Surveillance Laboratory) research group, through the CRAS – Center for Aerospace Studies and the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, has demonstrated the effectiveness of CubeSats as platforms for rapid, low-cost experimentation. These missions enabled in-orbit validation of novel technologies and fostered academic-industry collaboration.
◾️About Space BD
Space BD is a one-stop service provider committed to advancing the commercial utilization of space. Its services span a wide range—from launching small satellites via commercial rockets and the International Space Station, to supporting pharmaceutical research through protein crystallization in microgravity.
With end-to-end capabilities, Space BD provides comprehensive support including business planning, market research, and hands-on technical operations. As of August 2025, the company has supported over 90 satellite projects and more than 600 space transport missions.