Space BD and French Unseenlabs Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Strengthen Strategic Partnership
Space BD Co., Ltd. and the French space company Unseenlabs SAS have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen their strategic partnership for securing and diversifying launch means in Japan. The signing ceremony, held in the presence of Japanese and French government officials, aims to enhance cooperation in the space sector and further develop the business ecosystems of both nations.
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- 📰 Published: April 2, 2026 at 00:30
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Space BD Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Masatoshi Nagasaka; hereinafter 'Space BD'), which deploys comprehensive services in the space industry, announced on April 1, 2026, that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding a strategic partnership for securing and diversifying launch means within Japan with Unseenlabs SAS (Headquarters: Cesson-Sévigné, France; CEO: Clément Galic; hereinafter 'Unseenlabs'), a leading French space company. The signing took place in the presence of Japanese and French government officials, during the official delegation's visit to Japan accompanying French President Emmanuel Macron.
This signing ceremony was held with the aim of strengthening cooperation in the space sector between Japan and France, and the agreement between the two companies was concluded in the presence of Philippe Baptiste, French Minister of Higher Education, Research and Space, and Jun Kazaki, Director-General of the Space Policy Committee, Cabinet Office.
Space BD has previously contributed to Unseenlabs' global business foundation through Unseenlabs' satellite launches. This MOU aims to build upon the existing cooperative relationship between the two companies and contribute to the further development of the space business ecosystem in both Japan and France.
■About Unseenlabs SAS
Unseenlabs is a space company based in Cesson-Sévigné, near Rennes, France. It leads the world in services that collect and provide maritime vessel location information using satellites. To date, it has launched 20 satellites and its services are utilized by various companies and solutions, including S&P Global.
Company Name: Unseenlabs SAS
Headquarters: 15 rue Claude Chappe, 35510 Cesson-Sévigné, France
Representative: CEO and Co-Founder Clément Galic
Established: 2015
Business Activities: Development and operation of vessel radio wave collection satellites and provision of location information services
■About Space BD Co., Ltd.
Space BD is a 'Space Trading Company®' aiming to develop Japan's space business into a world-leading industry. Since its founding in 2017, it has provided a comprehensive range of services for space utilization, including the International Space Station (ISS), from business plan development to technical operational support by its engineering department, along with abundant transportation options to space. Based on its technical capabilities, sales strength, and business development expertise, its members with diverse career backgrounds are engaged in supporting the commercialization and transformation of public and private sector initiatives utilizing space, as well as in the education sector.
As of January 2026, in addition to handling over 100 satellites, it has accumulated more than 620 experimental achievements in space.
Company Name: Space BD Co., Ltd.
Headquarters: 2-1-1 Nihonbashi Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Nihonbashi Mitsui Tower 7F
Representative: President and CEO Masatoshi Nagasaka
Established: September 1, 2017
Business Activities: Various service businesses and educational businesses in space