New concept for contracts with micro industry or small enterprises willing to compete in the space development business

摘要

The Space Technology Demonstration Research Center (STDRC) of JAXA started a Small DemonstrationSatellite (SDS) program in 2006, which is intended to demonstrate new technology such as components and partswith a series of small satellites. SDS, which weigh around 50 to 100 kg, are developed in-house by young JAXAengineers economically and swiftly and also launched as piggyback satellites for the H-2A launch vehicle. The firstsatellite of the SDS program, the "SDS-1", was launched on 23 January, 2009 and terminated its operation withsuccess exceeding expectations. The next satellite, the "SDS-4", launched on 18 May this year, is in the operationalphase.To develop the SDS bus components swiftly and economically based on COTS technology, STDRC contracts thework to small or micro companies. Considering the risk to small companies and JAXA's in-house activity, STDRCapplied a new contract concept, and succeeded in developing components for small satellites economically andswiftly with moderate quality, such as a monitoring camera based on a COTS camera.In this paper, prejudice for space activity on small industry is mentioned. Subsequently, based on this prejudice, atype of new contract concept or collaboration with a small or micro company is described with some examplesrealized in the SDS program.This approach is effective in expanding the scope of micro and small industry and activating space development.