Get Together Of Space Agencies In Germany—Here Are The Updates
President Yamakawa from JAXA was present at ESA Council’s 282nd meeting, held in Darmstadt in Germany. JAXA and ESA have worked closely for many decades on space-based adventures. Earth observation, Martian moon exploration, asteroids or Mercury, all are joint missions led by JAXA and ESA. Yamakawa delivered his speech about their decades-long collaboration, the latest of which led to BepiColombo, a mission on its way to Mercy. Rolf Densing of ESA stated that he was excited to welcome the President into Europe’s mission center. He stated that their agencies had achieved much in the past, with more to come in the future.
ESA & JAXA also are implementing space missions for delivering better understanding about Earth’s climate change conditions, which would be vital for tackling the menace, 4 top notch sensors, including a Doppler Radar and CPR will be equipped by JAXA in the EarthCARE satellite, which would be built jointly. JAXA will also ensure data distribution and processing, allowing global access to it. JAXA’s GOSAT satellites are transmitting information to ESA that are being distributed by ESA as well. This allows identifying greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. XRISM mission, useful for studying energetic phenomenon occurring in the entire universe, was also signed into existence during the meeting. It will be initiated in the 2020s from Japan with software, hardware, support, and planning extended by ESA. ESA will have observation time in return.
JAXA and ESA are also working on multiple missions, extending to deep space areas, The JAXA-headed MM exploration mission & ESA-headed JUICE mission & SPICA mission headed by the ESA are currently underway at the space agencies. Deep space communication is vital for mission success. Hayabusa-2 mission of JAXA was supported by ESA stations, which reached the asteroid Rygu for studying its composition and features.
JAXA and ESA are also planning feasibility studies over antenna which could increase communication capacity.
Protection from cyber-security threats, space debris, space weather & asteroids were also recognized as vital. Jan Worner, the DG of ESA stated that cooperating with JAXA has allowed the ESA to display its international partnership expertise.
