Overview
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is known for technically sophisticated missions: Hayabusa asteroid sample returns, SLIM precision lunar lander, QZSS navigation and the ADRAS-J debris removal demonstration.
~$2.5B
Budget
2003
Founded
~200
Active Satellites
Key Programmes
SLIM: Precision lunar landing (Jan 2024) — within 100 m of target. Made Japan the fifth country to soft-land on the Moon.
Hayabusa2: Returned samples from asteroid Ryugu in 2020, after Hayabusa returned from Itokawa (2010).
ADRAS-J: Astroscale (JAXA-supported) successfully inspected a spent rocket stage in orbit — first commercial debris removal demonstration.
H3: Next-gen launch vehicle replacing H-IIA, first successful operational flight in 2024.
QZSS: Regional navigation complementing GPS over Japan and Asia-Oceania.
Key Facts
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Chōfu, Tokyo |
| Launch Site | Tanegashima Space Center |