Message from Chairperson

Space development is undergoing intense change with the rapid evolution of technology and concepts. It is not easy to predict the future. In the United States, an emerging company is building communication networks of thousands of small satellites using reusable rockets, offering convenient services, and even influencing international conflicts. In this turbulence, there is a temptation to adopt a passive approach: “Let’s collect lots of information, analyze it, and try to predict the future.” I must remind myself, however, that this approach should not be taken lightly.

When I reread the messages of past Chairpersons, it became clear that UNISEC has always aimed to be a pioneer, an active force shaping the future, by nurturing individuals who can lead in the new space era.

Professor Yasaka, our first Chairperson, identified three challenges: a lack of complementary relationships between space agencies and universities, insufficient opportunities for practical space education, and narrow pathways for universities to contribute their academic expertise to technological problems. UNISEC was founded to solve these problems, allowing students to “create plans on their judgment, work with their own hands, and evaluate their work by themselves.” As a result of these experiences, he noted, “Students gain a different perspective on the world.”

Professor Nakatsuka, the second Chairperson, redefined UNISEC’s mission as “cultivating people and technologies to create reliable systems: systems that work well in the real world.” Professor Nagata, the third Chairperson, emphasized the importance of moving beyond making practical systems and transforming the results into academic and universal values. He also stressed, “We must work for space more seriously, and those groups and activities far from such seriousness should not be our majority.”

Professor Miyazaki, the fourth Chairperson, noted that the reason UNISEC exists is “because we must aim for space with genuine determination.” Professor Kuwahara, the fifth Chairperson, explained that although each member has different technical interests, we come together with a shared passion: “We gather with the enthusiasm that we will be the best in this field and through competition, which fosters collaboration, we work to open the frontier of knowledge.”

As a result of these efforts, UNISEC has expanded its activities beyond developing satellites and rockets to shaping more significant trends in space development. In response to the low success rate of small satellites globally, UNISEC created the “Small Satellite Mission Assurance Handbook” and a website for sharing mission assurance information. To help newcomers learn about the broad range of space engineering elements, systems, and practical techniques, we launched the “UNISEC Academy” online courses. We also made the English version, “KiboCUBE Academy,” freely available online. Our international activities through “UNISEC-Global” aim to create a world where every university student can participate in practical space projects by the end of 2030. UNISEC-Global also serves as a permanent observer at the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), enhancing Japan’s international standing in space development.

UNISEC has become a community of space pioneers determined to “integrate individual skills and passions to create a new future together.” In this turbulent era, I believe we already embody Dr. Alan Kay’s words: “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

With this in mind, I would like to focus on three key perspectives that will help enhance and advance our activities as a community:

1. Improving the Reliability of Space Systems through Practical System Integration
   We must focus on building space systems, integrating them into working systems, and ensuring they function reliably. “Only when you did your best to succeed, you could learn something even if you failed.” (Guiding Principles for UNISEC-Global, Article 3)
2. Developing Space Missions into Successive Programs
   We will define satellite and rocket development as continuous programs rather than isolated events. We must also ensure that the outcomes of our missions are elevated to academic and universal values.
3. Contributing to Human Society: Creating New Space-Era Values and Ethics
   We must avoid limiting our activities to serving only a few and instead focus on embracing diversity. Our space missions aim to contribute to the sustainability of the world and the well-being of all people, leaving no one behind. Let us discuss and share the values and ethics of the new space era.

Thanks to my involvement in UNISEC, I have been able to lead the satellite project I conceptualized. UNISEC has provided me with technical knowledge and project management skills, a vision for missions that benefit humanity, and the opportunity to engage in discussions with like-minded peers who push me to improve.

Hence, I invite all of you to join UNISEC, dive deep into this community, and step forward as pioneers who will create the space era. Together, we can develop the skills, knowledge, and passion needed to make a real difference in the future.