Faculty Staff | Science and engineering for space exploration

As of Apr 1, 2024

Name Title Research Keywords
Hideyuki Fuke Associate Professor Cosmic-ray Astroparticle Physics, Balloon Engineering
Hirofumi Hashimoto Associate Professor Space Environment Engineering
Yuko Inatomi Professor Space environment utilization science, Materials science and engineering
Takehiko Ishikawa Professor Levitation, High temperature melts
Yasuhiro Kawakatsu Professor
Shunta Kimura Assistant Professor
Yusuke Maru Associate Professor
Keiichi Matsuzaki Associate Professor Information science, Space applications
Akira Miura Assistant Professor Visualization, Sonification, Modeling
Masashi Miura Associate Professor
Yasuyuki Miyazaki Professor Space Structure Systems, Deployable Large Membrane Structure, Flexible Multibody Dynamics, Geometric Mechanics, Structure Prfeserving Numerical Method
Yoshitaka Mizumura Assistant Professor Gamma-ray astrophysics, Balloon engineering
Osamu Mori Professor Dynamics and control, Propulsion, Spacecraft systems, Solar power sail
Naoya Ozaki Associate Professor Mission Design, Astrodynamics, Machine Learning, Spacecraft Systems Engineering, Control Theory
Takanao Saiki Professor Astrodynamics, Spacecraft Systems
Yoshitaka Saito Associate Professor Scientific Balloon
Taro Sakao Associate Professor Solar flares, Particle acceleration and heating, Instrument development
Yasutaka Satou Associate Professor
Shujiro Sawai Professor dynamics, Spacecraft system
Toshiaki Takemae Assistant Professor Small Flying Vehicle (Sounding Rocket), Pyro System, Space Education
Hiroshi Takeuchi Professor Deep Space Orbit Determination, Navigation, Radio Science
Shin Toriumi Associate Professor Solar physics, Stellar physics, Magnetohydrodynamics, Observation data analysis, Numerical simulations
Tetsuya Yamada Associate Professor Planetary Entry, Earth Reentry, Thermal Protection, Flight Mechanics etc.
Yukio Yamamoto Associate Professor Planetary exploration and data
Tetsuya Yoshida Professor Stratospheric balloon, Balloon payloads, Cosmic rays, Particle astrophysics
Makoto Yoshikawa Associate Professor Celestial Mechanics, Orbit Analysis, Orbit Determination, Spaceguard
Name Hideyuki Fuke
Title Associate Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Interdisciplinary Space Science
Responsible Lectures
Research Keywords Cosmic-ray Astroparticle Physics, Balloon Engineering
Details and policy of research guidance Research Interests: Early Universe, Dark Matter, Particle Astrophysics, Anti-matter, Super-pressure Balloon Technology, System Engineering
Message to students Can-do spirits are highly welcomed
Laboratory or personal web page http://www.balloon.isas.jaxa.jp/~fuke/
Personal page in ISASmap Hideyuki Fuke (Dept. of Interdisciplinary Space Science)
Name Hirofumi Hashimoto
Title Associate Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Interdisciplinary Space Science
Responsible Lectures Fundamental Sciences in Microgravity
Research Keywords Space Environment Engineering
Details and policy of research guidance I perform education, a study on space environment engineering widely.
Message to students I expect the student who can think by oneself.
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Hirofumi Hashimoto (Dept. of Interdisciplinary Space Science)
Name Yuko Inatomi
Title Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Interdisciplinary Space Science
Responsible Lectures Materials Engineering in Space
Research Keywords Space environment utilization science, Materials science and engineering
Details and policy of research guidance The research subject is to reveal phase change and transport phenomena in materials science, such as crystal growth and nucleation.
A a microgravity simulator and a centrifuge can be used as powerful tools to investigate gravity-dependent phenomena in the phase change.
Various facilities for crystal growth process, in situ observation of the phase, and sample levitation are also available.
Message to students Let's join materials research in space! I resepect stutdent autonomy.
Laboratory or personal web page https://researchmap.jp/read0179397?lang=en
Personal page in ISASmap Yuko Inatomi (Dept. of Interdisciplinary Space Science)
Name Takehiko Ishikawa
Title Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Interdisciplinary Space Science
Responsible Lectures Space Applied Physical Chemistry, Materials Engineering in Space
Research Keywords Levitation, High temperature melts
Details and policy of research guidance Dr Ishikawa’s research and academic field focuses on material science and processing under microgravity conditions, especially containerless processing and characterization with levitation facilities. The research includes the proposal of new theories and the experimental investigation of theories that are conducted using ground-based levitators (e.g., electrostatic, aerodynamic) and facilities developed for the International Space station.
Message to students Physical science with microgravity environment is a new research area. We wlocome students with pioneering spirits.
Laboratory or personal web page http://ishikawa.isas.jaxa.jp/index_en.html
Personal page in ISASmap Takehiko Ishikawa (Dept. of Interdisciplinary Space Science)
Name Yasuhiro Kawakatsu
Title Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Space Flight Systems
Responsible Lectures Space Systems Engineering III
Research Keywords
Details and policy of research guidance Our research field is astrodynamics, especially research on space navigation systems focusing on issues related to orbits. We encourage students learn mathematics and physics, which are fundamentals of our research field, and obtain expertise to pursue research including skills for development of models and calculation programs, and problem solving. In addition, we expect students to understand that space exploration technology is a comprehensive field directly linked to practical use and application, and there are many problems to be solved even in the stage to develop a system combining various advanced technologies.
Message to students
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Yasuhiro Kawakatsu (Dept. of Space Flight Systems)
Name Shunta Kimura
Title Assistant Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Interdisciplinary Space Science
Responsible Lectures
Research Keywords
Details and policy of research guidance
Message to students
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Shunta Kimura (Dept. of Interdisciplinary Space Science)
Name Yusuke Maru
Title Associate Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Space Flight Systems
Responsible Lectures
Research Keywords
Details and policy of research guidance
Message to students
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Yusuke Maru (Dept. of Space Flight Systems)
Name Keiichi Matsuzaki
Title Associate Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Spacecraft Engineering
Responsible Lectures Space Observation Science
Research Keywords Information science, Space applications
Details and policy of research guidance Students who will work with me will research on application of information science to space utilizing science spacecraft. The filed covers the development of onboard instruments and system including that on the ground as well as processing and analysis of scientific data acquired by satellites.
Message to students I resepect stutdent autonomy. Skills on software development is required.
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Keiichi Matsuzaki (Dept. of Spacecraft Engineering)
Name Akira Miura
Title Assistant Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Interdisciplinary Space Science
Responsible Lectures Computational engineering and science
Research Keywords Visualization, Sonification, Modeling
Details and policy of research guidance - Visualization and sonification of space science data.
- Modeling and visualization of objects relating to deep space probes.
Message to students
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Akira Miura (Dept. of Interdisciplinary Space Science)
Name Masashi Miura
Title Associate Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Space Flight Systems
Responsible Lectures
Research Keywords
Details and policy of research guidance
Message to students
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Masashi Miura (Dept. of Space Flight Systems)
Name Yasuyuki Miyazaki
Title Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Space Flight Systems
Responsible Lectures Space Structures and Materials Ⅰ
Research Keywords Space Structure Systems, Deployable Large Membrane Structure, Flexible Multibody Dynamics, Geometric Mechanics, Structure Prfeserving Numerical Method
Details and policy of research guidance We advance the concept of space structure, the structural engineering (especially structural dynamics), flexible multibody dunamics, and geometric mechanics through formulating their foundamental theories, and validating them by numerical simulation and experiment (and space demonstration mission).
Message to students I hope you will find the worth of scientific research through your research activities, the importance of trial practice of your idea, and project work. I will be very glad if you use me to improve your capability.
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Yasuyuki Miyazaki (Dept. of Space Flight Systems)
Name Yoshitaka Mizumura
Title Assistant Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Interdisciplinary Space Science
Responsible Lectures
Research Keywords Gamma-ray astrophysics, Balloon engineering
Details and policy of research guidance My research of interest is gamma-ray astrophysics based on development and applied research of gamma-ray sensing technology and balloon engineering.
Message to students Let's think flexibly and challenge together.
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Yoshitaka Mizumura (Dept. of Interdisciplinary Space Science)
Name Osamu Mori
Title Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Interdisciplinary Space Science
Responsible Lectures Space Engineering
Research Keywords Dynamics and control, Propulsion, Spacecraft systems, Solar power sail
Details and policy of research guidance By having students engage in research directly related to exploration missions that are under consideration or in progress, we train the next generation of space science leaders. Specifically, students will be asked to work on research topics set based on issues such as dynamics, control and propulsion in solar power sails, small celestial body exploration and lunar exploration missions. Results are often reflected in mission proposals, system design, operations, etc. On the other hand, to ensure that the research does not end up as an individual mission study, we guide students to systematize their new findings into an academic paper. By ensuring that students have opportunities to discuss with members engaged in exploration missions and conduct experiments that simulate the space environment, we train researchers in the field of space exploration science and engineering.
Message to students Spacecraft have severe limitations in terms of mass, power, communications, etc. On the other hand, the motion of spacecraft fits well with dynamics models because the effects of gravity and air resistance are very small in space. It is very interesting to confirm and evaluate the results of spacecraft orbit and attitude control performed while considering various conditions using flight data. It is a great pleasure to repeat this process to realize missions such as approaching and landing on a target celestial body, membrane deployment, and navigation by solar sail. Because the field of space exploration science and engineering is broad, previous research is not a major concern. We welcome students who are willing to lead space science and exploration missions.
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Osamu Mori (Dept. of Interdisciplinary Space Science)
Name Naoya Ozaki
Title Associate Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Spacecraft Engineering
Responsible Lectures
Research Keywords Mission Design, Astrodynamics, Machine Learning, Spacecraft Systems Engineering, Control Theory
Details and policy of research guidance The first task in planning a space science and exploration mission is "mission design" (i.e., studying and designing how the mission will be realized). Especially for deep space exploration missions, designing the trajectory of a spacecraft is a major issue. Our research activities aim to realize innovative space science and exploration missions using state-of-the-art techniques of machine learning, control theory, and astrodynamics. The specific research guidance is as follows.

1. to work on mission design for JAXA's ongoing projects or future missions
2. to develop new mission design and trajectory design methods using state-of-the-art techniques such as machine learning and stochastic control theory
3. to produce innovative ideas for space science and exploration missions using new mission design and trajectory design methods
Message to students As space utilization expands beyond the Moon through the Artemis program, there is a growing need for personnel who can perform mission and trajectory design. Through research activities in this laboratory, we would like to educate our students to be capable of playing an active role in the space industry in general!
Mission and trajectory design is a research field that comprehensively uses physics, mathematics, and programming. We also expect that English will be used in research guidance and presentations. We expect students to have studied physics, mathematics, programming, and English in advance.
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Naoya Ozaki (Dept. of Spacecraft Engineering)
Name Takanao Saiki
Title Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Interdisciplinary Space Science
Responsible Lectures
Research Keywords Astrodynamics, Spacecraft Systems
Details and policy of research guidance The main research topic is astrodynamics. It is important for students to gain experience in space science research by learning as much as possible about current and future space science and exploration missions.
Message to students
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Takanao Saiki (Dept. of Interdisciplinary Space Science)
Name Yoshitaka Saito
Title Associate Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Interdisciplinary Space Science
Responsible Lectures Space Systems Engineering I
Research Keywords Scientific Balloon
Details and policy of research guidance We are studying and developing observation systems and research platforms using scientific balloons, and their application. Our research field includes:
1. Development of the next generation balloon, including the super-pressure balloon and the high altitude thin film balloon.
2. Development of the on-board housekeeping system including the telemetry, the power supply system, and the attitude control system
3. Development of the on-board hard X-ray detector and observation using the detector. Students are going to study the whole observation system widely at first and study their subject deeply to explore the scientific ballooning.
Message to students The scientific ballooning is one of the few research fields where one can experience all the process of research cycle including planning of experiments, development of equipments, conducting experiments, data anaysis, deriving sceintific reults. We are waiting for whose who would like to challange the new world.
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Yoshitaka Saito (Dept. of Interdisciplinary Space Science)
Name Taro Sakao
Title Associate Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Solar System Sciences
Responsible Lectures Space Environment Physics
Research Keywords Solar flares, Particle acceleration and heating, Instrument development
Details and policy of research guidance Based on the latest results of space observations of the Sun, the following topics are to be studied from observational point of view:
1. Mechanism(s) of energy release and subsequent acceleration/heating of plasma particles in explosive high-energy phenomena in the solar corona such as flares,
and/or
2. Near-Earth interplanetary effects by energetic particles, electromagnetic radiation, or CME magnetic clouds from the Sun.
Meanwhile, those who are interested in can participate in R&D activities on development of high-spatial-resolution X-ray Wolter mirrors and/or high-speed photon-counting soft X-ray detectors aiming to reveal physical processes of high-energy phenomena in the corona.
Message to students How, and why, the bulf of coronal plasmas are, and can be, accelerated in flares has been a big mystery for decades in solar physics. Those who are willing to tackle this problem with observational data and/or with development of cutting-edge instruments are highly welcomed.
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Taro Sakao (Dept. of Solar System Sciences)
Name Yasutaka Satou
Title Associate Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Space Flight Systems
Responsible Lectures
Research Keywords
Details and policy of research guidance
Message to students
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Yasutaka Satou (Dept. of Space Flight Systems)
Name Shujiro Sawai
Title Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Space Flight Systems
Responsible Lectures
Research Keywords Dynamics, Spacecraft system
Details and policy of research guidance Space engineering topics, especially relating to Guidance, Navigation, Control, emerging through the development of spacecraft are studied. Researches at our laboratory are mainly triggered from the scientific projects, and some of our researches contribute directly to them.
Message to students
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Shujiro Sawai (Dept. of Space Flight Systems)
Name Toshiaki Takemae
Title Assistant Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Space Flight Systems
Responsible Lectures
Research Keywords Small Flying Vehicle (Sounding Rocket), Pyro System, Space Education
Details and policy of research guidance Experiments with sounding rockets can be widely used for various purposes; for example, the adoption of experiments and equipment proposed by researchers in universities and other institutions throughout the country. More advanced experiments, for which techniques and experience gained through international cooperative efforts made by both Japanese and foreign researchers, have also been performed.
Message to students Experiments with sounding rockets can be widely used for various purposes.
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Toshiaki Takemae (Dept. of Space Flight Systems)
Name Hiroshi Takeuchi
Title Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Spacecraft Engineering
Responsible Lectures
Research Keywords Deep Space Orbit Determination, Navigation, Radio Science
Details and policy of research guidance Our Laboratory welcomes prospective graduate students from around the world with interest in the field of orbit determination, navigation, radio measurement techniques, and radio science for deep-space probes and solar system objects. Our research scope encompasses both theoretical aspects (e.g. astrodynamics, estimation theory, or theory of relativity) and engineering aspects (hardware/software development for radio measurements). Students working with us are also provided opportunities to work on operations for real on-going deep space missions.
Message to students Skills on software development (programming language or hardware description language) or experience in radio measurement (including radio astronomy) is desired.
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Hiroshi Takeuchi (Dept. of Spacecraft Engineering)
Name Shin Toriumi
Title Associate Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Solar System Sciences
Responsible Lectures
Research Keywords Solar physics, Stellar physics, Magnetohydrodynamics, Observation data analysis, Numerical simulations
Details and policy of research guidance We study the physical processes of magnetic activity phenomena common to the Sun and other stars, such as flare eruptions, sunspot formation, and extremely hot atmospheres. Future space missions including the next-generation solar observing satellite Solar-C (EUVST) are also studied. We provide education and research guidance to address these issues by analyzing observational data and numerical modeling.
Message to students Research topics can be based on Toriumi's past studies (see researchmap.jp) as well as a wide range of topics. Please feel free to contact me.
Laboratory or personal web page https://researchmap.jp/shin_toriumi
Personal page in ISASmap Shin Toriumi (Dept. of Solar System Sciences)
Name Tetsuya Yamada
Title Associate Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Space Flight Systems
Responsible Lectures Space Systems Engineering II
Research Keywords Planetary Entry, Earth Reentry, Thermal Protection, Flight Mechanics etc.
Details and policy of research guidance Entry/Reentry Vehicles’ System Engineering and Astronautics
1. Computational simulations and experimental approaches using the high-enthalpy flow facility for researches on the high-temperature aerothermodynamics, and aero-thermochemics of the thermal protection material. The basic research is closely related to the development of the thermal protection system of the vehicles.
2. Flight dynamics of the ballistic and lifting entry/reentry vehicles at hypersonic velocity.
3. Systems engineering and astronautics on planetary Entry Probes (Venus entry probe, High-speed Jupiter entry probe, and Planetary Aero-capture)
4. Crushable Structure for realizing versatile landing without parachute
Message to students
Laboratory or personal web page http://spaceship.isas.jaxa.jp/index_en.html
Personal page in ISASmap Tetsuya Yamada (Dept. of Space Flight Systems)
Name Yukio Yamamoto
Title Associate Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Interdisciplinary Space Science
Responsible Lectures
Research Keywords Planetary exploration and data
Details and policy of research guidance I am conducting research on data of planetary exploration. Data archive requires a wide range of knowledge on planetary exploration; spacecraft, instruments, operation, ground system, etc. In addition, knowledge of science and information science is essential. I would like to organize these knowledge, and create a system for leaving data or information to future generations.
Message to students Planetary explorations require young people who will be responsible for the next generation. Please advance with the intention of leading the space related fields and boosting them.
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Yukio Yamamoto (Dept. of Interdisciplinary Space Science)
Name Tetsuya Yoshida
Title Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Interdisciplinary Space Science
Responsible Lectures Space Systems Engineering I
Research Keywords Stratospheric balloon, Balloon payloads, Cosmic rays, Particle astrophysics
Details and policy of research guidance Our major research activity covers the development of next generation stratospheric balloons for space science, such as super-pressure balloons for ultra-long duration flights and ultra-thin polyethylene balloons for in-situ observation at the mesosphere, and of onboard equipment for balloon flight operation. We also develop payload system for scientific balloon-borne experiments, especially for studies of cosmic-rays and particle astrophysics.
Message to students In the graduate school, I expect you to learn how to define your scientific interests clearly, how to build your logical consideration, and how to manage a project even if it is a very small experiment, in order to achieve new scieitific knowledge by yourself.
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Tetsuya Yoshida (Dept. of Interdisciplinary Space Science)
Name Makoto Yoshikawa
Title Associate Professor
Research Field Science and engineering for space exploration
Affiliation in ISAS Department of Spacecraft Engineering
Responsible Lectures Space Systems Engineering III
Research Keywords Celestial Mechanics, Orbit Analysis, Orbit Determination, Spaceguard
Details and policy of research guidance Orbit analysis and orbit determination for solar system bodies and artificial bodies are studied. We investigate appropriate dynamical models and methods of analysis to study various kinds of problems related to the orbital motions of solar system bodies, such as planet, satellite, asteroid, comet, and dust. As for artificial objects, such as spacecraft, artificial satellites, and space debris, orbit determination issues are studies using observation data as well as orbit calculation. Especially for small solar system bodies, we study the issues related collisions to the Earth (spaceguard or planetary defense).
Message to students It is important to have interest in orbits of celestial bodies.
Laboratory or personal web page
Personal page in ISASmap Makoto Yoshikawa (Dept. of Spacecraft Engineering)