日本宇航研究所開展発射超小型衛星收費新服務

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following

超小型衛星 有料で打ち上げ新サービス

5月4日 11時28分

ＪＡＸＡ＝宇宙航空研究開発機構は、企業や大学などの間で急速に利用が進む超小型衛星を有料で打ち上げる新たなサービスを始めることを決め、最も小さな１０センチ角の衛星については、３００万円で打ち上げを請け負うことになりました。

企業や大学などが開発した超小型衛星について、ＪＡＸＡはこれまで人材育成などの目的で選定委員会が承認したものにかぎり、無料で打ち上げを行ってきました。
しかし、超小型衛星の打ち上げ需要が日増しに高まっていることなどから、有料で衛星を打ち上げる新たなサービスを始めることを決めました。
料金は、最も小さい１０センチ角の衛星が３００万円で、宇宙輸送船の「こうのとり」などで国際宇宙ステーションに運んだうえで、ことし１０月以降、宇宙空間に放出します。
ＪＡＸＡは、この有料のサービスを始めたあとも、人材育成などを目的にした無料での打ち上げは引き続き、行うとしています。

(試譯文)

The JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) had decided to begin a new paid service of launching micro satellites that were rapidly made use of among companies and universities etc.; it would do contracted launching for satellite as small as 10-cm square for 3 million yen.

About micro satellites which were developed by companies and universities etc. for personnel training purpose etc., so far JAXA launched them without a pay and limited them to those recognized by a selection committee. 

However, since the demand for the launching micro satellites was increasing every day, it was decided that a new service of launching satellites for a pay should be started.

About the fees, the smallest satellite was 10-cm square for 3 million yen. It would be carried to the International Space Station by the "Stork" etc. space transport vehicles, and it would be emitted to the space after October this year.

Also it was said that after JAXA began the paid serve, free of charge launches aiming at personnel training etc. would supposedly be continued.

It is good news that micro-satellites could be launched at a low cost of 3 million yen.