(WSJ): Japan is leaping into space resources, agreeing to work with a robotic-exploration company to create a blueprint for an industry to extract resources from the moon that would enable more extensive space exploration.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Japan’s space agency, said Friday that it signed a memorandum of understanding with Tokyo-based ispace technologies Inc. to work on building an industry “for the mining, transport and use of resources on the moon,” according to a statement by ispace. A spokeswoman for the agency, known as JAXA, confirmed the agreement.
Resource mining is necessary for more extensive space exploration and travel by humans, space policy officials say. Oxygen and hydrogen in water extracted from places such as the moon could be used as fuel, meaning space missions could reduce heavy fuel loads and cut launch costs. JAXA has been working more closely with Japan’s small community of space startups. Several Japanese space startups have received funding from private investors this year, including $6 million raised by Ale Co., which is working to provide artificial shooting stars for festivals and civic events.
Yet Japan’s space industry still lags behind that of other countries such as the U.S., particularly in the area of space resources. In 2015, the U.S. passed a law that gave private companies the rights to resources recovered in space. Luxembourg adopted a similar draft law this year. “Space-resource development is garnering attention around the world now,” said ispace CEO Takeshi Hakamada. “It’s very important that we work to commercialize and create rules while we still have a technological advantage globally.”
Japan passed two laws this year clarifying rules for satellite launches and satellite images, though neither covers space resources. Ispace manages business operations for Team Hakuto, the only Japanese competitor for the $30 million Google Lunar XPrize competition. Sixteen teams are competing to land a probe on the moon, move it 500 meters, and send high-definition photos and video back to earth by the end of 2017.