By Koichi Kuranuki / Yomiuri Shimbun Senior Writer

Major Japanese heavy machinery manufacturer IHI Corp. plans to fully launch its satellite constellation business in the near future, aiming to observe the Earth using numerous small satellites deployed in low Earth orbit and provide various image data.

Yoshiaki Asakura, head of the space systems business development office within IHI's Aero Engine, Space & Defense Business Area, discussed future plans in an interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun.

The following is excerpted from the interview.

The Yomiuri Shimbun: What direction is this business aiming for?

Yoshiaki Asakura: Satellite constellations encompass three fields: communications, positioning and Earth observation. The communications field, which includes satellite phone services like Starlink, is mature and highly competitive. The positioning field involves GPS services, which require the use of large satellites at high altitudes, making it a national-level project. The Earth observation field utilizes satellites in low Earth orbit to monitor the Earth's surface. This market, focused primarily on security applications, is still developing, and IHI will specialize in this field.

Yomiuri: What potential applications can be envisioned?

Asakura: It will take the form of so-called dual-use applications. In the economic security field, there are Maritime Domain Awareness $(MDA)$ systems for monitoring vessels navigating within territorial waters. In the civilian sector, applications include agriculture, forest vegetation monitoring and growth condition assessments. It will be crucial for IHI to develop these use cases.

Yomiuri: How will you reduce costs?

Asakura: The launched satellites orbit the Earth, and the image data captured through Japan's airspace constitutes only about one-eighth of the total amount of data they provide. To utilize image data captured through airspaces of other regions, collaboration with foreign countries like the United Kingdom is vital. IHI is negotiating with companies in various nations to enable mutual use of image data. Joint efforts will lead to cost reductions.

Yomiuri: How will satellites be launched?

Asakura: Currently, we have no choice but to rely on SpaceX in the United States. In the future, we want to establish a system where we can also launch using domestically produced Epsilon rockets.

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This article is from The Yomiuri Shimbun. Neither Dow Jones Newswires, MarketWatch, Barron's nor The Wall Street Journal were involved in the creation of this content.

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December 22, 2025 05:31 ET (10:31 GMT)

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