Subsidy Awarded by Space Strategy Fund for Full Digital Communication Payload Development

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation is pleased to announce that a subsidy has been awarded for the technology development task "Development of Internationally Competitive Full Digital Communication Payload" (hereinafter referred to as "this technology development"), for which our company was selected as the representative organization. This task is part of the "Development and Demonstration of Technologies for Internationally Competitive Communication Payloads" (Field: Satellites, etc.) (hereinafter referred to as "this theme"), one of the public offering themes in the second phase of the Space Strategy Fund (Note 1) implemented by the National Research and Development Agency Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). We will aim to develop a "full digital communication payload" with flexible communication and high security.

In recent years, there has been a growing demand for satellites whose functions and performance can be flexibly modified even after launch, in accordance with user requirements. For geostationary communication satellites, which offer excellent wide-area coverage, broadcast capabilities, and disaster resilience, digital communication payloads (Note 2) that utilize digital signal processing technology and can adapt to fluctuations in satellite communication demand by time zone or region through software rewrites are attracting attention, with development and manufacturing primarily progressing in Europe and North America.

In this technology development, Mitsubishi Electric will leverage the know-how cultivated through the development of the "Technical Satellite 9" ordered by JAXA to develop a full digital communication payload with flexible communication and high security. Specifically, we will realize a payload that expands the communication target area to the entire visible range of the Earth with a DRA (Note 3) antenna and can flexibly change the beam irradiation area using DBF (Note 4) communication technology, which forms radio wave beams in arbitrary directions within that range. Furthermore, by incorporating a DPP (Note 5) for digital signal processing of communication signals, we will enable post-launch function updates by performing various communication controls, which were previously hardware-dependent, via software. Additionally, by incorporating functions to encrypt communication content and protect communication signals from interference, we will enable stable communication that is highly secure and resistant to detection or jamming by others. The arithmetic processing system required for these functions, which was previously difficult to realize due to its immense and complex processing, will be made possible by adopting a high-performance dedicated ASIC (Note 6), leading to the development of a compact and low-power payload suitable for installation on geostationary communication satellites.

Furthermore, SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation, one of Asia's largest satellite communication operators, will participate as a collaborating organization in this technology development, investigating and examining specific use cases for communication satellites in the 2030s and the functions and performance expected by users. By reflecting these results in the design of the full digital communication payload, we aim to develop communication satellites that meet future market needs.

Comments from Stakeholders

Akira Funakoshi, Representative (Manager, 5th Technical Section, 1st Satellite Equipment Department, Kamakura Works, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation) commented:

"We are extremely pleased that our company has been selected as the representative organization for this theme of the Space Strategy Fund project and that a subsidy has been awarded. Based on the knowledge and technical capabilities cultivated through past satellite development, we will develop a full digital communication payload with flexibility to adjust functions in orbit even after launch using digital signal processing technology, contributing to the realization of internationally competitive satellite services and systems, and ensuring the independence of Japan's satellite systems."

Overview of This Technology Development

Implementation Period

May 2026 - March 2028 (Note 7)

Research Representative

Akira Funakoshi, Manager, 5th Technical Section, 1st Satellite Equipment Department, Kamakura Works, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

Technology Development Details

- Expand the communication target area to the entire Earth by adopting a DRA antenna that expands the beam irradiation area and enhances support for mobile objects such as communication devices mounted on aircraft and ships, providing stable communication over a wide area. Furthermore, flexibly change the communication service target area by altering the beam irradiation area using DBF communication technology.

- Equip a channelizer function that allows flexible allocation of frequency bands used for communication through digital signal processing, enabling effective use of limited communication resources by avoiding concentrated communication demand during disasters.

- Ensure functional flexibility by enabling reconfiguration of functions after launch through software updates utilizing digital signal processing technology.

- Improve communication security through geolocation for position identification, spectrum monitoring for interference wave monitoring and analysis, and nulling functions to neutralize interference waves.

Future Plans and Prospects

By utilizing the full digital communication payload technology cultivated in this technology development, we aim to provide dual-use geostationary communication satellites (Note 8) to overseas markets, primarily in Asia, in addition to domestic markets. This will support the independence and competitiveness of Japan's space industry and further contribute to the increasingly active space development.

About SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation

SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative: Eiichi Yonekura) is an "integrated space business company" that operates both space and media businesses.

It owns 17 geostationary communication satellites and provides video and data communication services domestically and internationally. It also engages in the space intelligence business, utilizing satellite image data from its own low-orbit Earth observation satellites, and provides services in various fields, including national security. The company offers a wide range of solutions for government agencies and private companies.

About Mitsubishi Electric's Space Systems Business

Through domestic and international satellite development and manufacturing, primarily on satellite development projects promoted by JAXA, Mitsubishi Electric has established itself as a leading company in Japan's space development. We will continue to strengthen our advanced technologies and contribute to the realization of a sustainable and resilient society and a prosperous future through ongoing challenges for the further continuous development of our space systems business.

About the Mitsubishi Electric Group

The Mitsubishi Electric Group, under "Our Philosophy," places sustainability at the core of its management and values the trust of stakeholders, including society, customers, shareholders, and employees. We pursue "profitability," "capital efficiency," and "growth," while continuously connecting with customers to create new value that solves social issues and strive for sustainable improvement in corporate value. With a history of over 100 years since its founding in 1921, the Group operates in businesses such as social systems, energy systems, defense and space systems, FA systems, automotive equipment, building systems, air conditioning and home appliances, digital innovation, and semiconductors/devices. With over 200 group companies worldwide and approximately 150,000 employees, consolidated sales for fiscal year 2025 were 5,894.7 billion yen. For more details, please visit our official website.

*1 A fund established at JAXA by the Cabinet Office, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, to support the development, demonstration, and commercialization of advanced technologies in the space field by private companies and universities.

*2 Payload refers to the equipment installed on a satellite to achieve its purpose (communication, Earth observation, positioning, etc.).

*3 An array antenna with antenna elements arranged two-dimensionally. By radiating directly without using a reflector, it can transmit radio waves to the entire Earth. Since the beam is formed using all antenna elements, beams of arbitrary shapes can be formed, but the number of elements leads to challenges in size and power consumption. DRA stands for Direct Radiating Array.

*4 A method of forming a beam in a specified direction by controlling the excitation coefficients of the transmission or reception signals of multiple antenna elements using digital signal processing technology. DBF stands for Digital Beam Forming.

*5 A digital signal processor for communication signals. It enables flexible communication control and easy function updates by realizing various communication control functions through software. DPP stands for Digital Payload Processor.

*6 An IC (Integrated Circuit) designed for a specific purpose. High performance and efficiency are achieved through optimized design. ASIC stands for Application-Specific IC.

*7 The initial subsidy period is from the date of grant decision until the end of the fiscal year in which the stage gate evaluation is completed.

*8 Geostationary communication satellites that can be used for both civil (public) and national security purposes.

<Inquiries from Customers>

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Defense & Space Systems Group, Space Systems Division

2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8310

https://www.MitsubishiElectric.co.jp/society/space/