Consortium Led by Axelspace Selected for Japan’s New Space Strategy Fund Project

The consortium led by Axelspace Corporation, together with Meisei Electric, ANA Holdings, and JIJ Inc., has been selected for JAXA’s Space Strategy Fund under the theme “Technology to Enhance Capability of Next Generation Earth Observation Satellites.”

Project Overview
- Title: Source-Specific CO₂ Emission and Uptake Monitoring through Satellite Constellation and Aircraft Observations
- Lead: Axelspace (PI: Akihiko Kuze, formerly Project Manager of GOSAT-2)
- Partners: Meisei Electric, ANA Holdings, JIJ Inc.
- Goal: Develop compact, affordable spectrometers for satellites, aircraft, and ground sensors to enable granular CO₂ monitoring by source, time, and location.

Key Objectives
- Satellite constellation vision: Coordinated multi-satellite system observing at different times of day (morning, noon, afternoon).
- Aircraft integration: ANA will provide onboard testing environments and combine flight-based observations with satellite data.
- Climate action support: Deliver transparent, source-specific CO₂ emission and uptake data to counter “greenwashing” and strengthen international benchmarks.
- Technology innovation: Miniaturized spectrometers using advanced domestic detector technology, validated via aircraft tests, with a demonstration satellite planned for FY2030–2032.
- Data processing: JIJ will apply quantum computing and optimization algorithms to refine emission estimates from multi-layered datasets.

Future Outlook
The project aims to establish a globally recognized framework for greenhouse gas monitoring, integrating CO₂ data with supporting datasets (NO₂, solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence, meteorological parameters). This will enhance transparency, credibility, and economic incentives for emissions reduction.

As Axelspace’s CEO Yuya Nakamura noted: “Objective and transparent monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions — by specific sources — is essential. By bringing together Japan’s technological capabilities, we aim to help shape international rulemaking grounded in scientific evidence.”