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ArkEdge Space Inc., a Tokyo-based micro-satellite developer, has opened a new facility in the Shinkiba district of Koto-ku, Tokyo, to support the development and manufacturing of lunar navigation demonstration satellites.
The Shinkiba Lab is being established under the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Space Strategy Fund as part of its “Lunar Navigation System Technology” project. The facility includes a cleanroom and measuring instruments, with operations targeted to begin in July 2026.
With the lab’s opening, ArkEdge Space has entered the manufacturing phase for 100 kg-class lunar navigation demonstration satellites planned for lunar launch.
JAXA selected ArkEdge Space for the Space Strategy Fund program in November 2024. Since then, the company has been developing a lunar navigation payload, a 100 kg-class demonstration micro-satellite, mission operations concepts, and mission evaluation systems.
The planned mission will validate lunar navigation signal transmission and reception using a demonstration satellite in lunar orbit alongside receivers deployed on the lunar surface.
ArkEdge Space said development is focused on interoperability with LunaNet, NASA’s international lunar communications and navigation framework, specifically targeting alignment with the LunaNet Interoperability Specification and LunaNet Signal-In-Space Recommended Standard. The company is also studying international spectrum coordination, signal specifications, frequency allocation, and interference considerations for future transmitter and receiver designs.
As lunar exploration expands to include cargo transportation, rover operations, and resource utilization, PNT infrastructure is expected to become a key enabling technology for sustainable lunar activities.
