Space BD Completes Support for Launching 8 JAXA Satellites on International Rocket
Space BD Inc. successfully supported the launch of 8 CubeSats for JAXA's 'Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration No. 4' mission. The satellites were launched on April 23, 2026, using Rocket Lab's Electron rocket.
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- 📰 Published: April 24, 2026 at 01:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 16:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 23, 2026 at 20:38 (4h 6m after Collected)
Space BD Inc. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Masatoshi Nagasaki), a comprehensive space service provider, is pleased to announce the successful launch of eight CubeSats. These satellites were part of the 'Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration No. 4' mission, for which Space BD provided work support commissioned by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The launch took place on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at 12:09 PM (JST) aboard Rocket Lab's Electron rocket.
Space BD provided a one-stop service for the eight participating institutions, including universities, technical colleges, and private companies. This service covered everything from technical coordination and handling of hazardous materials to international transportation, including export permit acquisition. The company managed complex project requirements, integrating different development schedules, technical conditions, and regulations into a single launch.
The 8 CubeSats supported in this project are:
- MAGNARO-II (Nagoya University): Formation flying technology test
- KOSEN-2R (Yonago National College of Technology): IoT technology demonstration for ocean observation
- WASEDA-SAT-ZERO-II (Waseda University): Integral molding technology demonstration
- FSI-SAT2 (Future Science Institute): Ultra-compact multi-spectral camera demonstration
- OrigamiSat-2 (Institute of Science Tokyo): Origami reflectarray antenna demonstration
- Mono-Nikko (Dainikko Engineering): Battery abnormality detection system demonstration
- PRELUDE (Nihon University): Earthquake precursor detection verification
- ARICA-2 (Aoyama Gakuin University): Prompt report demonstration
Space BD's roles included technical coordination between diverse satellites and the rocket, and providing one-stop transportation support as an exporter. As the number of satellite launch projects in Japan increases, the ability to offer diverse launch methods and reliable ground support is key to enhancing the speed and international competitiveness of Japan's space development. This achievement expands the options for 'space transportation' that Space BD can offer to domestic developers, following its support for the RAISE-4 mission in December 2025.
Space BD engineer Shun Sakamoto commented: 'It is a great honor to have successfully implemented the launch support for the eight institutions. Through the process of working alongside various organizations with different specifications and structures, we have built trust and experienced significant growth. We hope that the on-orbit demonstrations proceed smoothly and lead to the next generation of technology.'
Space BD aims to make space a major industry by providing optimal launch opportunities quickly and reliably to satellite operators and users, contributing to the overall competitiveness of the Japanese space industry.
Space BD provided a one-stop service for the eight participating institutions, including universities, technical colleges, and private companies. This service covered everything from technical coordination and handling of hazardous materials to international transportation, including export permit acquisition. The company managed complex project requirements, integrating different development schedules, technical conditions, and regulations into a single launch.
The 8 CubeSats supported in this project are:
- MAGNARO-II (Nagoya University): Formation flying technology test
- KOSEN-2R (Yonago National College of Technology): IoT technology demonstration for ocean observation
- WASEDA-SAT-ZERO-II (Waseda University): Integral molding technology demonstration
- FSI-SAT2 (Future Science Institute): Ultra-compact multi-spectral camera demonstration
- OrigamiSat-2 (Institute of Science Tokyo): Origami reflectarray antenna demonstration
- Mono-Nikko (Dainikko Engineering): Battery abnormality detection system demonstration
- PRELUDE (Nihon University): Earthquake precursor detection verification
- ARICA-2 (Aoyama Gakuin University): Prompt report demonstration
Space BD's roles included technical coordination between diverse satellites and the rocket, and providing one-stop transportation support as an exporter. As the number of satellite launch projects in Japan increases, the ability to offer diverse launch methods and reliable ground support is key to enhancing the speed and international competitiveness of Japan's space development. This achievement expands the options for 'space transportation' that Space BD can offer to domestic developers, following its support for the RAISE-4 mission in December 2025.
Space BD engineer Shun Sakamoto commented: 'It is a great honor to have successfully implemented the launch support for the eight institutions. Through the process of working alongside various organizations with different specifications and structures, we have built trust and experienced significant growth. We hope that the on-orbit demonstrations proceed smoothly and lead to the next generation of technology.'
Space BD aims to make space a major industry by providing optimal launch opportunities quickly and reliably to satellite operators and users, contributing to the overall competitiveness of the Japanese space industry.