<aside> 💡 AstroX Inc. is a space transportation startup founded in May 2022, with its head office in Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture, and bases in both Fukushima and Tokyo. Under the mission to "Reclaim ‘Japan as No.1’ in space development," the company is challenging the status quo by developing a small satellite launch vehicle using the unique Rockoon method.
The core technology involves using a balloon to carry the rocket up to the stratosphere before launching it in the air. This approach is considered forward-thinking because it offers higher efficiency due to less air resistance and gravity loss compared to ground launches, while also greatly increasing launch location flexibility. AstroX has successfully integrated and tested attitude control devices, and is collaborating with JAXA to evolve the balloon system into a high-precision launch platform through joint research on suspension control mechanisms.
AstroX aims to provide a low-cost, high-frequency space transportation service, offering a new choice to small satellite operators and space data utilization companies. This differentiation from traditional ground-launch companies gives them the potential to carve out a unique position in the satellite launch market, which currently faces a significant supply-demand gap.
The company's business roadmap targets the launch of a sub-orbital rocket—a test rocket that reaches space (over 100km altitude) but not orbit—by the end of Fiscal Year 2025. Following this, the goal is to achieve success with an orbital rocket by the end of FY2028, after which they plan to progressively expand into commercial transportation services. With Japan’s "Space Industry Vision 2030" calling for a doubling of the market size, the growing demand for satellite launches provides a strong tailwind for the company's future activities. (AS)
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