Our company is fully committed to engaging in space-related businesses. In our medium-term business plan announced in March 2023, the "space-related business" was listed as one of our new ventures. In April 2023, we established the Advanced Tech and Space Business Development Team. By leveraging the technology and expertise we have homed in our primary shipping business, we are advancing in three key areas: (1) launching rockets from offshore, (2) recovering the first stage of rockets offshore, and (3) utilizing satellite data.

While domestic rocket launch facilities, such as those on Tanegashima Island, are located on land, we are working on transporting rockets by ship to a launch point at sea and launching them there. In recent years, several venture companies have emerged dealing with rockets for small satellites. However, launching rockets into space involves many constraints, including costs, which often prevent launches from occurring at the desired time or direction. Offshore launches could maximize Earth's rotational force by allowing closer proximity to the equator and ensure safety by distancing them from populated areas. The ability to launch rockets in the desired direction at the desired time by removing various safety constraints is a strength of offshore launches.

We are moving forward with plans to either repurpose existing ships or construct new dedicated launch vessels, aiming to launch small rockets within the next few years.

When launching rockets, it is necessary to burn propellants (fuel and oxidizer). The lower part of the rocket, having exhausted the necessary propellant, detaches and falls away without reaching space — the traditional method of discarding this section results in high costs per launch. Therefore, research and prototyping of reusable single-stage rockets are underway. We aim to build a system that calculates where the reusable first stage will land and directs ships to recover it. This initiative was proposed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) as a joint research effort to recover reusable rockets at sea. It was selected as part of JAXA's "Innovative Future Space Transportation Systems Research and Development Program." While JAXA and MHI are specialists in space, our company brings expertise in ship operations and maritime technology development, utilizing the maritime skills of our sea-based employees. For example, one potential application is employing advanced Dynamic Positioning Systems (DPS) to automatically control a ship's propulsion to maintain a specific position, considering ocean currents. Moving forward, we need to promote the development of the foundational technologies necessary to realize offshore recovery. Adopting this initiative as one of JAXA's Space Strategy Fund projects on December 20, 2024, allowed us to proceed with full-scale research and development.

Operating over 800 vessels worldwide, our company is exploring utilizing satellite data at sea. As part of this effort, we participated in an acceleration program dedicated to business development in space-related businesses hosted by a major corporation from April to September 2023. We proposed two challenges: "Optimal Route Design and Safe Navigation Solutions for Operating Vessels Using Satellite Data" and "Solutions for Precise Measurement of Emission Levels During Vessel Operations Using Satellite Data." We are progressing in discussions on utilizing satellite data for each of these. Advancements in these initiatives could lead to more efficient vessel operations and precise emission measurements.

The catalyst for our space-related businesses was the NYK Digital Academy, an internal program for creating new business ventures. Established in September 2019, the NYK Digital Academy is our training program aimed at cultivating business leaders who can insightfully identify genuine customer needs and drive innovation and reform. Within this program, three employees, then stationed overseas, formed a team and engaged in diverse and active discussions that continue to this day. For more on their story, read the interview with the founding members of the space-related businesses.

Interview with the Founding Members of the Space-Related Businesses

This project remains in its early phases, with numerous tasks ahead, including establishing a business model encompassing monetization, addressing legal and regulatory frameworks, overcoming technical challenges, and designing systems. By addressing each challenge with our technology and expertise, we aim to provide a platform for rocket recovery and launch, contributing to resolving societal issues.