Japan To Create $6.6 Billion Fund To Develop Outer Space Industry (japantimes.co.jp) 22
Japan plans to establish a new 1 trillion yen ($6.6 billion) fund to develop the country's outer space industry. "We believe it is a necessary fund to speed up our country's space development so we don't lag behind the increasingly intensifying international competition," Sanae Takaichi, minister in charge of space development, said in a news conference last week. The Japan Times reports: The fund will be allocated over a 10-year period for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), an Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry spokesperson said. Some 300 billion yen has been set aside for the fund in the latest supplementary budget approved by the Cabinet on Friday. The funding, which will support JAXA and the development of Japan's space industry, was a response to increased public and private sector focus on space activities.
Back in June, Tokyo unveiled a Space Basic Plan, detailing budgetary support for innovation in the private sector as an area of business growth. At the same time, it also unveiled a Space Security Initiative, which labeled space "a major arena for geopolitical competition for national power over diplomacy, defense, economic, and intelligence, as well as the science and technology and innovation that support these national powers."
Back in June, Tokyo unveiled a Space Basic Plan, detailing budgetary support for innovation in the private sector as an area of business growth. At the same time, it also unveiled a Space Security Initiative, which labeled space "a major arena for geopolitical competition for national power over diplomacy, defense, economic, and intelligence, as well as the science and technology and innovation that support these national powers."
Isn't that like playing with legos? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
Maybe it's to help pay to keep people with related/relevant skills around in case they need them, and maybe even some hardware.
They've managed to launch stuff into space:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
So if one day say they need ICBMs they can make them without waiting for too long or depending on too many external parties.
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So if one day say they need ICBMs
Japan's potential adversaries are North Korea and China. ICBMs are not needed for either. IRBMs can do the job. And building an IRBM isn't rocket science. Iran and NK have done it.
Re:Isn't that like playing with legos? (Score:4, Funny)
It isn't? Because building rockets sounds like rocket science to me, literally.
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There is little difference between an IRBM and a low performance ICBM. In fact if you want to build an IRBM with large payload capacity, say to carry multiple re-entry vehicles with significant warheads, you have built a missile capable of also being an ICBM with smaller payload.
Independent satellite launch capability is likely to be very important in future too. It's pretty important now for spy satellites.
Re:Isn't that like playing with legos? (Score:4, Insightful)
A big mistake politicians make when they want "innovation" is to look around at what everyone else is doing, and then subsidize their own people to do the same.
That, of course, is the opposite of innovation.
Japan is not gonna compete with SpaceX, especially with bureaucrats making the decisions.
Japan would be far wiser to improve STEM education and foster an economy that rewards risk and tolerates failure. Then let the market decide how to innovate.
Re: (Score:3)
" foster an economy that rewards risk and tolerates failure"
Holly Molly, the japanese are so far from this, it isn't even funny.
They are culturally so risk-adverse, it is depressing.
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"A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon you're talking real money"
https://www.senate.gov/artandh... [senate.gov].
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Japan already has a successful space industry to build off. They have their own rockets, including now private companies building them outside of government contracts. They have had multiple successful missions, including a couple to asteroids for sample return.
The government sees the commercial side is making some progress, and that there is a market that SpaceX doesn't cater to. Smaller vehicles with smaller payloads, launching from East Asia, lower cost, different schedules and different orbits.
SpaceX is
Japan isn't going to try (Score:1)
If you think shit's unbalanced in America Japan's a whole 'nother ball game. Their 1% doesn't have as much money as ours does because they're not as big, but they claim a *
The mission is not necessarily booster tech (Score:2)
It depends on what objectives you set.
That budget can pay for a lot of development plus a lot of rides on SpaceX rockets. Unless you actually buy the rockets themselves from SpaceX (assuming they are willing to sell) you won't get a lower cost ride to orbit. Particularly when the next generation of boosters starts flying.
If i was in charge of that budget I would focus it on building orbital loads. Some for science (as Japan has already done) and some for commercial development. Some smart investm
What industries? (Score:2)
"The government plans to allocate the funding to companies, universities, and other entities to support the development of space technology."
So, this looks like a way for the government to simply spread some money around as long as your idea is space related in some way, that's all. $660M a year if given in small grants to unis and startups could do a lot. But maybe not in Japan, as they tend to be risk averse and may not make the most of the money.
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When you take a look at the spinoffs from the US space program, it seems like a lot of the tech developed with one end in mind winds up being useful in a variety of ways. There's also value in keeping your best educated people busy, employed and productive...and at home. "Brain drain" is a very real phenomenon.
Contextual budget? (Score:2)
That Japan isn't investing what superpowers are in a space program isn't evidence of foolishness or incompetence unless their national goals in space are directly comparable to superpowers. This should go without saying but it's gone over the heads of some commenters here.
I suspect if they were you'd not be able to ignore the PR offensive shoving as much SPACE stuff into as much local pop culture as you could imagine. The weebs aren't screaming about magical space girls or launch vehicle concept art styled
Japan outer space industry? (Score:2)
Considering all the stories we've seen coming out of Japan about mechs in space or space battleships, do we really want them to go down this route?
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It's all fine until you get some sort of space monarchy
It's good to see Japan step up (Score:2)
A spokesman for JAXA says they're investing in a major, rocket-based program with a projected launch date scheduled for December 7, 2041.