The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (“JAXA”) and the University Space Engineering Consortium (“UNISEC”) have announced CubeSat deployment opportunity from the International Space Station (ISS) Japanese Experiment Module (Kibo) (JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD)) for domestic universities/college called J-CUBE, based on the MOU about “Comprehensive collaboration agreement on CubeSat release from ISS-Kibo for academic research and capacity building” which UNISEC signed with JAXA on April 1, 2021.
This program aims to realize a sustainable and evolutional international collaborative structure, build capacity-building system that utilizes the technological capabilities of domestic universities, and keep high popularity and attractivity of Japanese universities as international collaborative partners by enhancement of their satellite development and operation technology. The program has two categories: one is construction of the international collaborative relationships, another is for domestic capacity building. Both categories are open only for UNISEC-Japan’s universities, institutes, and technical colleges. The winner can get a fee-based launch opportunity 12U/per year (or 6 satellites/per year) at maximum under this MOU. The satellite size is assumed to be 1~3U.
Open slots: | 1~3U x 6 satellites (max. 12U)/ per year |
Category 1: | International collaboration proposal |
Category 2: | Innovative mission proposal(Category 2 is only for domestic collaboration, max. 2 satellites/per year : remained slots become category 1) |
Both categories are open for UNISEC-Japan’s university, institutes, and technical colleges | |
Application duration for Category 1: | 1st term: 25 Nov. 2021 to 31 Jan. 2022 |
2nd term: 9 May. 2022 to 28 Dec. 2022 |
International collaboration proposal must be satisfied the following constraints:
Selection procedure:
Category 1 needs international partner and J-CUBE office will run matchmaking system for potential international partners who are interested in becoming the collaboration partners of UNISEC-Japan’s organization.
Application details for becoming international partner will be available soon, check our updates !
International organizations need to submit a matchmaking system registration form to the J-CUBE secretariat.
Application duration: | 25 Oct. 2021 to 30 Sep. 2022 |
Please send registration form to J-CUBE office : info-jcube@unisec.jp
Applicants must meet all the following requirements:
Further requirements are shown in “Announcement of Registration”, please check the details.
Applications will be accepted online through the J-CUBE office website. J-CUBE office will conduct a document screening of the applications and perform the following collaboration matchmaking procedure for the valid application. The matchmaking procedure will continue to 31 Jan. 2023 at maximum.
J-CUBE office has the technical team to support teams who are interested in applying to the J-CUBE program.
We’ll accept the technical questions, and provide the consultations to build a better mission and application form.
If you have any specific technical questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us by email at J-CUBE Office!!
Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs) from the link below.
J-CUBE FAQs