Press Release
"Building an Ecosystem Connecting Japan and Low Earth Orbit - Towards the Landing of the Dream Chaser® Spaceplane at Oita Airport -" Wins the "Selection Committee Special Award" at the 7th Japan Open Innovation Prize
Press Release
February 6th, 2025
Japan Airlines Co., Ltd.
Kanematsu Corporation
Oita Prefecture
MUFG Bank, Ltd.
Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.
Sierra Space Corporation
Space Port Japan Association
Japan Airlines Co., Ltd., Kanematsu Corporation, Oita Prefecture, MUFG Bank, Ltd., Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd., Sierra Space Corporation, and Space Port Japan Association received the "Selection Committee Special Award" at the 7th Japan Open Innovation Prize hosted by the Cabinet Office on February 5, 2025, for their initiative "Building an Ecosystem Connecting Japan and Low Earth Orbit - Towards the Landing of the Dream Chaser® Spaceplane at Oita Airport -" (hereinafter referred to as "this initiative").
The Japan Open Innovation Prize[1] recognizes initiatives with high leadership and originality that are expected to serve as role models to further promote open innovation in Japan. It honors exemplary initiatives with significant social impact and sustainability, with minister's awards and other awards presented in various fields.
This initiative aims to establish Oita Airport as an Asian hub for spaceplanes through public-private and international collaboration. It was highly evaluated for its pioneering collaborative framework that combines expertise from different industries to promote new entries into the space business, and its future development is highly anticipated.
■About This Initiative
＜Overview＞
Japan Airlines Co., Ltd., Kanematsu Corporation, Oita Prefecture, MUFG Bank, Ltd., Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd., Sierra Space Corporation, and Space Port Japan Association have been participating in a partnership to explore the use of the Dream Chaser® spaceplane and are working together to utilize Oita Airport as an Asian base for the Dream Chaser spaceplane.
＜Objective＞
By using the spaceplane for launches from Japan, transportation to the space station, and return to Japan, an ecosystem will be established. Additionally, this initiative aims to transform Oita Airport into a spaceport, functioning as a hub between the space station and the ground in Japan and Asia, contributing to regional revitalization and industrial promotion. Furthermore, by examining the legal framework related to spaceplane re-entry, landing, and spaceports, the initiative will contribute to rule-making.
＜Content＞
A robust framework has been established through collaboration between one U.S. company, four Japanese companies, one local government, and one consortium. This collaboration combines expertise from different industries to promote new entries into the space business. With a team of 3-4 members from each of the seven entities, totaling over 20 personnel, this initiative is being advanced through role-sharing, including lobbying government agencies and verifying landing feasibility.
＜Effect＞
The establishment of an ecosystem through spaceplane launches, transportation to the space station, re-entry, spaceport landing, and transportation to the next launch site is expected to have economic ripple effects in tourism, education, job creation, logistics, construction, and satellite manufacturing (estimated at 350 billion yen for Oita Prefecture and 3.5 trillion yen for Japan as a whole[2]).
[1] The Japan Open Innovation Prize (the Cabinet Office website)
https://www8.cao.go.jp/cstp/openinnovation/prize/index.html
[2] Estimates by Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co., Ltd.
