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JAPAN
Japan is pursuing an advanced and comprehensive
space programme encompassing a wide range of fields related
to space science, technology and application. The overall
responsibility for coordinating the national space programme
in Japan has been assigned to the Space Activities Commission.
The space activities are carried out by the National Space
Development Agency (NASDA), the Institute of Space and Astronautical
Science (ISAD) and the National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL)
under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science
and Technology.
The space effort in Japan covers the entire gamut of major
fields related to space science, technology and applications.
A large number of R and D institutions as well as universities
in both the public and private sectors are involved in different
aspects of space research and applications. The private
sector in Japan is extensively involved in the research,
development, manufacture and marketing of various types
of equipment, systems, instruments, components and materials
used for space activities.
Japan has fabricated a number of dedicated remote sensing
satellites (MOS-1a and MOS-1b, JERS-1, ADEOS, TRMM), meteorological
satellites (GMS series), and other satellites using Japan's
own indigenous launchers of the N and H (H-I and H-II) series.
Two advanced Earth observation satellites, ADEOS-II and
ALOS, are planned for launch in the coming years. NASDA
promotes the utilization of communication satellites through
its i-Space project and experiments of the Engineering Test
Satellite-VIII (ETS-VIII) and the High-data-rate Internet
Test Satellite. The country has ground receiving stations
at Hatoyama and Kumamoto for handling data from indigenously
developed and other remote sensing satellites. Japan became
the third country to send a lander to Mars with the launch
of a probe in July 1998 and is one of the major players
in the International Space Station. |
