The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is relatively new space agency compared to other international space agencies such as National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and European Space Agency (ESA). However, it has launched numerous successful orbiter and satellites over the years including the Hayabusa, Epsilon and Artemis. JAXA plans to recreate successful missions of leading space agencies such as NASA and ESA in order to further develop human explorations in the solar system in the future. Recreating successful space missions is an approach of JAXA in order to develop their space programs.
One of the main upcoming missions of the JAXA is the BepiColombo which is a space orbiter in Mercury. NASA has been successful in conducting an exploration of Mercury using Mariner 10 in 1974. The BepiColombo is expected to launch in 2020. The BepiColombo is intended to be launched in order to analyze the magnetosphere of Mercury and help in providing evidences or information regarding the formation of planets in the solar system. JAXA is coordinating with ESA for the BepiColombo mission. This mission will also help JAXA to develop their space agency and acquire experience and further knowledge regarding space explorations.
Another upcoming mission of the JAXA is their first unmanned mission to the moon which will be launched on 2018. Initial steps for this mission have been conducted such as the development of the probe and sending it to space using the Epsilon rocket which was launched in 2015. If this is successful, Japan would be the fourth country to conduct a mission to the moon aside from United States, China and Russia. JAXA is coordinating with the NASA with regards to this project. Like the BepiColombo mission, the moon mission will also help JAXA to develop their space agency.
Bibliography
Blake, M. “Japan plans moon mission in three years”. RT.com. 2015. Accessed January 19, 2017. https://www.rt.com/news/251305-japan-moon-mission-future/.
Gebhardt, C. “JAXA to build on the past success for future exploration goal”. NASASpaceflight.com. 2012. Accessed January 19, 2017. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/02/jaxa-builds-past-future-exploration-success/.
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. “Mercury Exploration Mission "BepiColombo"”. 2015. Accessed January 19, 2017. http://global.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/bepi/index.html.
