Fukuoka, JAPAN – March 13, 2024- Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS) announced that its SAR satellite, QPS-SAR-7, named “TSUKUYOMI-II” will be launched to a mid-inclination orbit (MIO), altitude 500-605km during SpaceX’s Bandwagon-1 mission no earlier than April 2024.

“We are very much pleased to be working with SpaceX for the third time, following QPS-SAR-2 and QPS-SAR-6, and now with QPS-SAR-7.” said Shunsuke Onishi, CEO of iQPS, Inc. “This mission, Bandwagon, is a new rideshare service by SpaceX that will launch satellites into mid-inclination orbits. Since our goal is to build a constellation of small SAR satellites mainly by launching them into inclined orbit, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to all who have made efforts to take advantage of this opportunity, the first launch of this service. We would like to build up a solid track record so that we can continue to launch satellites one after another in the future.”

＜About QPS-SAR Project＞

QPS-SAR is an innovative small SAR satellite built by iQPS. iQPS developed a large deployable antenna (patented) with high storage capacity and light weight (10 kg). The antenna enables the satellite to emit strong radio waves, and led to the successful development of the QPS-SAR, high-resolution small SAR satellite, which is 1/20th the weight and 1/100th the cost of conventional SAR satellites. Currently two commercial satellites are in operation, and iQPS aims to build a constellation of 24 satellites by FY2027, and eventually a constellation of 36 satellites to provide “Near-Real-Time Data Provisioning Service” enabling the observation of specific regions almost anywhere in the world at an average interval of 10 minutes.

＜About iQPS＞

iQPS is a space start-up founded in 2005 by two Emeritus Professors of Kyushu University and a rocket developer to establish the space industry in the Kyushu region in Japan. Based on more than 20 years of technology in the development of small satellites at Kyushu University, now iQPS brings together young engineers and industrialists with a team of pioneering professors emeritus. In addition, iQPS’s business is strongly supported by more than 25 partner companies, mostly in northern Kyushu.