ElevationSpace and Japan LEO Company Announce Collaboration on Space Strategic Fund Themes for Establishing Low-Earth Orbit Activity Infrastructure in the "Post-ISS Era"
ElevationSpace and Japan LEO Company have announced a partnership to establish low-Earth orbit activity infrastructure for the "post-ISS era." They will mutually leverage technologies adopted by the Space Strategic Fund to develop integrated services from cargo supply to retrieval.
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- 📰 Published: May 11, 2026 at 20:00
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ElevationSpace Inc. (Headquarters: Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture; Representative Director & CEO: Ryohei Kobayashi; hereinafter: "the Company") has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Japan LEO Company Inc. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & President: Yudai Yamamoto) to explore the possibility of providing a series of services related to low-Earth orbit autonomous flight module systems (Japan Module), cargo supply systems (HTV-XC), and cargo retrieval systems.
The Company has been selected as an implementing organization for the Space Strategic Fund's "High-Frequency Cargo Retrieval System Technology" theme and is developing "ELS-RS," a small unmanned retrieval service that enables high-frequency cargo retrieval from low-Earth orbit bases.
Japan LEO Company has been selected as an implementing organization for the Space Strategic Fund's "Low-Earth Orbit Autonomous Flight Module System Technology," "Technology for Cargo Supply Systems with International Competitiveness and Autonomy/Flexibility," and "Technology for Efficient Extravehicular Utilization" themes. The company is advancing initiatives that consistently look towards future commercialization and service provision, from the development of the Japan Module for low-Earth orbit and the commercial cargo transfer vehicle HTV-XC.
Based on this MoU, both ElevationSpace and Japan LEO Company aim to contribute to the establishment of Japan's autonomous and internationally competitive low-Earth orbit activity infrastructure in the "post-ISS era" after the current ISS (International Space Station) operations conclude. This will be achieved by mutually linking the results of their respective technology development themes adopted under the Space Strategic Fund program. They will conduct studies on feasibility and business viability, aiming to develop a series of services covering "launch to cargo supply, in-orbit experimentation/demonstration, and cargo retrieval."
Related Press Release
Announced November 14, 2025
"Accelerating the Establishment of Japan's Autonomous and Global Transport Infrastructure for Low-Earth Orbit Utilization with the Development of 'High-Frequency Cargo Retrieval System Technology (ELS-RS)'"
https://elevation-space.com/posts/news_20251114
Comment from Yudai Yamamoto, Representative Director & President of Japan LEO Company:
"We are deeply honored to begin this collaboration with ElevationSpace, looking ahead to the utilization of low-Earth orbit in the post-ISS era. As an implementing organization for the Space Strategic Fund, our company is committed to developing foundational systems such as the Japan Module and HTV-XC, while also focusing on establishing them as sustainable businesses for long-term use. To develop low-Earth orbit utilization into a continuous industry, it is essential to build an ecosystem where functions like bases, supply, and retrieval are organically linked, rather than relying on a single system. Through this collaboration, we aim to combine the technological and business strengths of both companies to enhance the reliability and sustainability of Japan's low-Earth orbit activities. Moving forward, we will continue to work with our partners to translate development achievements into concrete businesses and implement low-Earth orbit as a field accessible to everyone in society."
Comment from Ryohei Kobayashi, Representative Director & CEO of ElevationSpace:
"Looking towards the post-ISS era, we are greatly encouraged to collaborate with Japan LEO Company, which is leading the development of our nation's low-Earth orbit bases. In activities in low-Earth orbit, 'retrieval' of experimental results back to Earth is an indispensable piece supporting Japan's autonomy and international competitiveness. Through this collaboration, by integrating our 'ELS-RS' high-frequency cargo retrieval system, developed under the Space Strategic Fund program, with their base and supply vessel systems, we aim to realize a Japan-originated end-to-end system from launch to retrieval. As fellow recipients of the Space Strategic Fund, we will work closely together to build future infrastructure where everyone can freely utilize space."
About ElevationSpace
ElevationSpace is a startup company with the vision of "building a transportation network connecting people and goods in orbit." They are engaged in developing space-to-Earth transportation services, centered on Japan's world-class small re-entry technology. In collaboration with Tohoku University and JAXA, they are developing small spacecraft to transport materials researched and manufactured in the microgravity environment of space back to Earth.
The International Space Station (ISS), which has been widely used for everything from basic scientific experiments to industrial applications, is scheduled to cease operations at the end of 2030 due to structural lifespan and other factors. Ensuring the continuous availability of a "place" for space environment utilization has become a challenge. ElevationSpace is looking ahead to the "post-ISS era" and aims to provide the free-flyer orbital demonstration and retrieval satellite "ELS-R" and the high-frequency retrieval capsule "ELS-RS" from space stations. "ELS-R" is Japan's first service that conducts experiments and demonstrations in a microgravity environment using unmanned small satellites and returns them to customers on Earth.
The Company has been selected as an implementing organization for the Space Strategic Fund's "High-Frequency Cargo Retrieval System Technology" theme and is developing "ELS-RS," a small unmanned retrieval service that enables high-frequency cargo retrieval from low-Earth orbit bases.
Japan LEO Company has been selected as an implementing organization for the Space Strategic Fund's "Low-Earth Orbit Autonomous Flight Module System Technology," "Technology for Cargo Supply Systems with International Competitiveness and Autonomy/Flexibility," and "Technology for Efficient Extravehicular Utilization" themes. The company is advancing initiatives that consistently look towards future commercialization and service provision, from the development of the Japan Module for low-Earth orbit and the commercial cargo transfer vehicle HTV-XC.
Based on this MoU, both ElevationSpace and Japan LEO Company aim to contribute to the establishment of Japan's autonomous and internationally competitive low-Earth orbit activity infrastructure in the "post-ISS era" after the current ISS (International Space Station) operations conclude. This will be achieved by mutually linking the results of their respective technology development themes adopted under the Space Strategic Fund program. They will conduct studies on feasibility and business viability, aiming to develop a series of services covering "launch to cargo supply, in-orbit experimentation/demonstration, and cargo retrieval."
Related Press Release
Announced November 14, 2025
"Accelerating the Establishment of Japan's Autonomous and Global Transport Infrastructure for Low-Earth Orbit Utilization with the Development of 'High-Frequency Cargo Retrieval System Technology (ELS-RS)'"
https://elevation-space.com/posts/news_20251114
Comment from Yudai Yamamoto, Representative Director & President of Japan LEO Company:
"We are deeply honored to begin this collaboration with ElevationSpace, looking ahead to the utilization of low-Earth orbit in the post-ISS era. As an implementing organization for the Space Strategic Fund, our company is committed to developing foundational systems such as the Japan Module and HTV-XC, while also focusing on establishing them as sustainable businesses for long-term use. To develop low-Earth orbit utilization into a continuous industry, it is essential to build an ecosystem where functions like bases, supply, and retrieval are organically linked, rather than relying on a single system. Through this collaboration, we aim to combine the technological and business strengths of both companies to enhance the reliability and sustainability of Japan's low-Earth orbit activities. Moving forward, we will continue to work with our partners to translate development achievements into concrete businesses and implement low-Earth orbit as a field accessible to everyone in society."
Comment from Ryohei Kobayashi, Representative Director & CEO of ElevationSpace:
"Looking towards the post-ISS era, we are greatly encouraged to collaborate with Japan LEO Company, which is leading the development of our nation's low-Earth orbit bases. In activities in low-Earth orbit, 'retrieval' of experimental results back to Earth is an indispensable piece supporting Japan's autonomy and international competitiveness. Through this collaboration, by integrating our 'ELS-RS' high-frequency cargo retrieval system, developed under the Space Strategic Fund program, with their base and supply vessel systems, we aim to realize a Japan-originated end-to-end system from launch to retrieval. As fellow recipients of the Space Strategic Fund, we will work closely together to build future infrastructure where everyone can freely utilize space."
About ElevationSpace
ElevationSpace is a startup company with the vision of "building a transportation network connecting people and goods in orbit." They are engaged in developing space-to-Earth transportation services, centered on Japan's world-class small re-entry technology. In collaboration with Tohoku University and JAXA, they are developing small spacecraft to transport materials researched and manufactured in the microgravity environment of space back to Earth.
The International Space Station (ISS), which has been widely used for everything from basic scientific experiments to industrial applications, is scheduled to cease operations at the end of 2030 due to structural lifespan and other factors. Ensuring the continuous availability of a "place" for space environment utilization has become a challenge. ElevationSpace is looking ahead to the "post-ISS era" and aims to provide the free-flyer orbital demonstration and retrieval satellite "ELS-R" and the high-frequency retrieval capsule "ELS-RS" from space stations. "ELS-R" is Japan's first service that conducts experiments and demonstrations in a microgravity environment using unmanned small satellites and returns them to customers on Earth.