JAXA: New Horizons in Space Exploration

With the name Japan, various associations come to mind, for example, for me – sakura, kimono, kabuki theater, sumo and robots. But it is known for more than just that.

First of all, scientific developments in electronics and robotics. However, this is not all. We have often heard that Japanese spacecraft are plowing space. And indeed it is. Japan is a space power, it develops and launches rockets, satellites and space probes.
History of space exploration by Japan for more than half a century. It begins back in 1970, when the country launched its first Lambda 4S rocket, with the Osumi (おおすみ) artificial satellite on board. Then this launch was an important milestone in technological cooperation with the United States, especially in the development of high-performance batteries that did not lose power at high temperatures. With the launch of Osumi (おおすみ), Japan became the fourth country in the world after the USSR, the USA and France to deliver a national artificial satellite into space with its own launch vehicle.

Prior to the first successful launch of the Osumi (おおすみ) satellite, Japan’s space exploration program was beset by a string of setbacks. This showed a huge gap between the achievements in space exploration of Japan with the same United States and the Soviet Union.
Over the years, Japanese designers have developed and launched many space rockets that delivered dozens of satellites and research vehicles to near-Earth space. There were also unsuccessful launches, but basically the development of rocket science went on, as elsewhere – there were ups and downs. On August 1, 2003, Japan’s first Osumi (おおすみ) burned up in the atmosphere. But after that, the launches of satellites and their work in orbit were successful. There have been no additional failures in recent years.

The Land of the Rising Sun started the development of near-Earth space later than other leading space powers of the USSR and the USA. However, now, Japan’s scientific research vehicles deserve the highest international recognition, for their success in launching satellites for applied research, they are applauded all over the world. It is understandable, for any inhabitant of the Earth, Japan is a country of high technology and progress.

Japan was never able to carry out manned flights and launch its astronaut into space, this is too costly for the country. As part of international space projects with the USSR and the United States, twelve Japanese participated in flights to near-Earth orbit. Of these, two astronauts were women.
All space affairs in the Land of the Rising Sun are handled by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency -JAXA (国立研究開発法人宇宙航空研究開発機構). It was created in 2003 by the merger of three previously independent organizations: NASDA (practical astronautics), ISAS (scientific missions) and NAL (aeronautics). As a result, JAXA is responsible for all of the above, as well as for the development and launch of launch vehicles, civil satellites, scientific spacecraft (space telescopes, interplanetary stations) and military satellites. He actively studies asteroids and plans missions to explore the moon.

The first Japanese space mission outside the Earth’s orbit was the study of Halley’s comet in 1985, carried out by the Sakigake (さきがけ) and Suisei (すいせい) spacecraft.
And the first Japanese interplanetary mission was “Nozomi” (のぞみ), launched to Mars in 1998. The device reached the Red Planet in 2003, but failed to enter a stable orbit around Mars. However, Japanese scientists will continue to study the planet and send research expeditions there.

On September 14, 2007, JAXA successfully launched a new probe named “Kaguya” (かぐや). For its launch, an advanced H-IIA launch vehicle was used at that time. The main goal of the probe’s mission was to collect data on the origin and geological evolution of the Moon. The device entered the estimated orbit on October 4, 2007. “Kaguya” (かぐや) has been working for almost 2 years and has carried out significant scientific research. In June 2009, the probe crashed into the surface of the Moon, completing its mission, but leaving a huge mark on the history of the study of the lunar surface. However, the study of the moon will continue. The Japanese government says that soon a manned flight and landing of an astronaut on the moon will definitely take place on the surface of the natural satellite of the Earth.

The pride of JAXA in the study of space objects was the automatic interplanetary station “Hayabusa-2” (はやぶさ2). A lot of effort and effort was invested by Japanese scientists to create it. It was launched to deliver soil samples from the Ryugu asteroid. On December 3, 2014, the probe was launched from the Japanese spaceport Tanegashima. And 6 years later he completed the research mission with a successful landing on a space object and the subsequent delivery of soil from the Ryugu asteroid to Earth. This mission and exploration of the high level of sophistication has delighted scientists around the world. They gave answers to questions of interest to many in understanding the early processes that took place in the solar system.
Studying materials about the achievements of JAXA, I learned that the Japanese space agency does not lag behind the research of its partners, leading world powers, but also creates joint projects. For example, with the Russian Roskosmos, the Japanese JAXA is going to create an ultraviolet space observatory, a kind of analogue of the American Hubble. The first flight of Spectrum-UF is planned for 2025. It will be designed for observations of cosmic bodies in the region of the ultraviolet spectrum inaccessible to ground-based telescopes. With its help, scientists will be able to study the physical processes in the early universe. For example, the formation of stars, the evolution of galaxies, the processes of matter falling into black holes, and much more. The telescope will be equipped with a mirror with a diameter of 1.7 meters, as well as high and low resolution spectrographs, which will make it possible to obtain high-quality images in the ultraviolet range.

And finally, as part of the cooperation between Roscosmos and JAXA, medical research is being carried out at the ISS in microgravity to solve important social problems on Earth. Aboard the Japanese segment of the ISS, the Kibo (きぼう) experimental module, a research experiment is being conducted to study and develop drugs against muscular dystrophy, Alzheimer’s disease, tooth decay and periodontal disease. And the first concrete results have already been obtained – the enzymes responsible for the atrophy of muscle tissues have been identified. Researchers in the framework of the experiment on growing protein crystals at the ISS intend to continue cooperation for the benefit of humanity.

Now JAXA is working on the creation of a new generation transport spacecraft “HTV-X” for further space exploration. Now the main goal of JAXA is the preparation of interorbital spacecraft, lunar landing and takeoff modules, and a lunar cargo spacecraft. And only then, there will be expeditions to the surface of the Moon and beyond, up to the exploration of Mars and Phobos.

Do not be surprised if the flag of Japan is soon planted on the moon. By 2035, JAXA is going to build a plant for the production of hydrogen fuel. It is supposed to be placed in the region of the south pole of the Earth’s natural satellite. There, according to available data and scientific evidence, there are large reserves of ice. Ice will be used to produce water, as well as to produce a fuel pair of oxygen and hydrogen oxidizer used as fuel.
The scientific minds of the world are quite serious, at present the five space agencies included in the ISS program are discussing participation in the creation of a lunar orbital port in the coming years. The use and development of the lunar surface will mark a new stage of research for all mankind. And we, the inhabitants of planet Earth, need only wait a little for this event.
But personally, it is not yet clear to me how the global (political and) economic crisis will affect space exploration plans. In JAXA, they are not officially abandoned, and, to be honest, this pleases.