Japan’s space industry has experienced both successes and failures in recent events. The Jaxa space agency’s H3 carrier rocket, designed to carry four-ton payloads into orbit around the sun, had to be blown up shortly after takeoff, delaying the state lunar program. However, private moon travelers, such as ispace and the UAE space agency, launched successful missions to the moon, with ispace hoping to become the first private company to land a spacecraft on the lunar surface.
Dymon, an eleven-year-old Japanese company, has also embarked on a pioneering mission to enrich space travel using mini-rovers. The company’s two-wheeled rover, Yaoki, which weighs only 498 grams, was included in the Artemis program of the US space agency NASA. Founder Shinichiro Nakajima aims to launch 100 Yaoki rovers into space in the next five years.
To be accepted into the Artemis program, the Yaoki rover had to pass rigorous tests, such as withstanding high accelerations and vibrations and functioning in moon dust. Nakajima aims to land the rover on the South Pole of the moon in search of water.
Despite the failures, Japan’s space industry continues to push the boundaries of space exploration and develop innovative technology to further human understanding of the universe.
