Tokyo, Japan, June 24, 2025 — ArkEdge Space Inc. (“ArkEdge Space”), a Japanese space startup based in Tokyo that provides comprehensive solutions from planning and design to mass production and operation of micro-satellite constellations, is pleased to announce the successful launch of its AE2a and AE3Va micro-satellites. Both spacecraft are built upon the company’s proprietary 6U multi-purpose satellite bus system, which has been under development since FY2021. Initial operational checkouts are now underway, following the successful establishment of stable communications via radio signals.
The AE2a and AE3Va satellites were launched on June 24, 2025, at 6:25 JST aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket (Transporter-14 mission), successfully reaching their designated orbits. On the same day, ArkEdge Space confirmed radio contact via its Makinohara ground station in Shizuoka Prefecture. Both satellites are now progressing through the initial operational phase toward achieving their mission success criteria.
This project has been supported by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) since FY2021 and further advanced under the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)’s “Space Industry Technology Information Infrastructure Development Program” from FY2023 onward. The program specifically supports the development and in-orbit demonstration of versatile 6U satellite bus systems and efficient mass-production and operations capabilities.
As part of this initiative, ArkEdge Space has developed a 10 kg-class standard 6U bus system, an optimized mass-production framework, and automated multi-satellite operation capabilities—now being demonstrated in orbit within an operational seven-satellite constellation.
With the successful launch of AE2a and AE3Va, ArkEdge Space has now deployed five of the seven satellites planned for this program: AE1b (released from the International Space Station on December 9, 2024), followed by AE1c and AE1d launched aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Transporter-12 on January 15, 2025. All five satellites have established stable communications.
Through these ongoing operations, ArkEdge Space continues to verify the in-orbit performance and reliability of critical satellite functions—including power management, thermal control, communications, and attitude control. These results will help accelerate future satellite development, lower costs and risks, and shorten development cycles.
Looking ahead, ArkEdge Space will further leverage this versatile 6U bus platform to efficiently design, manufacture, and operate next-generation satellite fleets—unlocking opportunities for a broader range of partners—including government agencies, research institutions, and private companies—and contributing to the accelerated use of space. The adaptable 6U platform supports a broad range of mission profiles, including disaster monitoring, maritime safety, environmental observation, IoT communications, and low Earth orbit (LEO) positioning––contributing to solutions for global societal challenges while driving continued technological advancement.
Overview of ArkEdge Space’s 6U Multi-purpose Satellite Bus System Models
Mission Details
AE2a
AE2a employs the “Remote Sensing Model” of ArkEdge Space’s 6U standard satellite bus. The mission is designed to demonstrate a hyperspectral camera system in orbit. The mission will validate key sensing functionalities of the 6U bus, with a particular focus on attitude control for remote sensing applications, and will conduct image acquisition and data downlink operations using its onboard hyperspectral camera.
The hyperspectral camera captures dozens of wavelength bands continuously, generating unique spectral signatures for various materials and enabling the detection of minerals, tree species, and atmospheric gases that are difficult to identify with conventional optical or SAR satellites. Its capabilities are expected to be applied to water resource management, climate change research, and greenhouse gas (GHG) monitoring.
In addition, AE2a carries an IoT communications module that will enable text and sensor data exchange via LoRa, conduct satellite-to-satellite communications experiments using a store-and-forward (S&F) weak-signal reception system, and demonstrate remote command operations from ground stations.
AE3Va
AE3Va utilizes the “Large Antenna Model” of ArkEdge Space’s 6U satellite bus, building on the company’s VDES (VHF Data Exchange System) technology following the successful deployment of AE1d earlier this year. The mission will demonstrate VDES antenna deployment and performance enhancements to VDES receiver technologies for maritime communication applications.
VDES enables bidirectional digital communication between satellites and maritime vessels and is expected to play a key role in advancing safety, navigation, and digitalization at sea as part of the next-generation maritime information infrastructure.
About ArkEdge Space’s 6U Satellite Bus
For further details on ArkEdge Space’s 6U standard satellite bus systems, please refer to the following press release:
“ArkEdge Space Completes Development of 6U Multi-purpose Satellite Bus System and Transitions to 7 Satellite Launch and In-Orbit Demonstration Phase”
https://arkedgespace.com/news/multipurpose6usatellite
About ArkEdge Space
ArkEdge Space is a Japanese space technology company offering end-to-end solutions for micro-satellite constellations—from planning and design to mass production and operations. Guided by its mission of “empowering people with satellites for a prosperous future,” the company is advancing capabilities in Earth observation, maritime satellite communications (VDES), optical communications, and low-Earth orbit satellite positioning, as well as lunar activities and deep space exploration. Through our mission, ArkEdge Space continues to drive the advancement of space innovation and its practical application.
Head Office Location
3F, Dome Ariake Headquarter, 1-3-33 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan
CEO: Takayoshi FUKUYO
Founded: in July 2018
Website: https://arkedgespace.com/