Tokyo-based ALE Co., Ltd (ALE), led by its CEO Lena Okajima, with the mission to bring space closer to people, is pleased to announce the completion of our 2nd artificial satellite which takes on the challenge to bring our man-made shooting star project to a reality. The 2nd satellite is scheduled to be lifted off overseas after next spring. ALE is aiming to demonstrate and commercialize the man-made shooting star project within 2020 by utilizing the 2nd satellite.
■ ALE 2nd satellite major improvements from ALE-1
◇The orbit of the satellite
The 1st satellite…Approximately 500 km in altitude
The 2nd satellite…Approximately 400 km in altitude
◇Orbit controlling device
The 1st satellite…DOMR:De-Orbit Mechanism *1
The 2nd satellite…Thruster
◇The number of colors of meteor sources shipped
The 1st satellite…4 colors (white, green, pink and orange)
The 2nd satellite…5 colors (blue in addition to the 4 colors to the above)
※75 kg, approximately 60 by 60 by 80 cm
The 2nd satellite is furnished with thrusters as an orbit controlling device which allows raising and lowering the position of the satellite by discharging gas from its nozzles. With the thrusters, the location, date and time which the man-made shooting stars are seen can be controlled as targeted.
The 2nd satellite embeds now 400 sources of man-made shooting stars in 5 colors. We developed blue meteor sources and complemented the palette of the 4 colors (white, green, pink and orange) already available in the 1st artificial satellite.
To bring our man-made shooting star project into reality, we have now two satellites: the 1st satellite (*2) which was launched on January 18th 2019 and this second satellite, which has the same purpose. We decided to change the schedule of orbit lowering of the first satellite. We are currently accumulating the data and verifying its technology to reflect them on the 2nd satellite. This quickens the development of the 2nd satellite, enables its launch to the desired location and its quick operation start.
■Message from Lena Okajima (ALE CEO)
“I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who always supports us and is engaged in developing the satellite. The 2nd satellite was safely completed and I am very excited that we can launch it as early as possible to deliver man-made shooting stars so that everyone can see them. In order to better develop the 2nd satellite, we postponed the time of lowering the 1st satellite which was launched in January, conducted the experiment in space carefully and obtained reliable and useful information we fed to the development of the 2nd satellite. To demonstrate the man-made shooting star project in 2020, we will continue to challenge the state-of-the art approaches by always trying to find the best way under any circumstances. We, ALE, are also developing the 3rd man-made shooting star satellite and the entertainment followed by the man-made shooting star for next generations. Please keep bringing your attention to ALE.”
*1 DOMR:De-Orbit Mechanism is a registered trademark of Nakashimada Engineering Works, Ltd(located at Yame city in Fukuoka prefecture).
*2 The 1st satellite was put into the orbit at an altitude of 500 km on January and was scheduled to start to be lowered by around March to the altitude of 400 km where the man-made shooting star project is demonstrated. Due to the initial experiment after the lift-off being prolonged and the postponed 2nd satellite lift-off, we decided to prioritize the accumulation of satellite operation data and verifying technology to reflect them on the 2nd satellite and to postpone the scheduled starting period of lowering the 1st satellite.
* Press release regarding the 1st artificial satellite
http://star-ale.com/en/news/2018/12/13/000061.html
http://star-ale.com/en/news/2019/01/18/000062.html
* Press release regarding the world’s first man-made shooting star project conducted by a man-made satellite
http://star-ale.com/en/news/2019/08/08/000068.html
【About ALE】
ALE’s mission is to “Make Space closer. For all of us. Together.” With our innovation and technology ALE strives to fulfill the endless curiosity of us humans, and to advance the development of science as well as grow space business that will enrich our daily lives.
Company Name： ALE Co., Ltd
Address ： 2F, 2-11-8 Shiba-Daimon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0012, Japan
CEO ： Lena Okajima
Established ：Sept. 1, 2011
Business Overview ：Space Entertainment Business ”Sky Canvas”, data analysis of the upper atmosphere layers during reentry, development of microsatellite technologies
■Business Overview
◇ Sky Canvas
Sky Canvas is ALE’s aerospace entertainment project, which likens the sky to a vast canvas of opportunity. The company’s first project under this banner is achieving the world’s first man-made shooting star in 2020. It plans to follow that project with development of a variety of next-generation entertainment. The aerospace entertainment segment enables ALE to convey the appeal of space and science to a wider audience in order to draw attention to those sectors and draw more talent to the field.
* “Sky Canvas” is a registered trademark of ALE
◇ Data analysis of the upper atmosphere layers during reentry
Observation of man-made meteors will allow the retrieval of information from the data measured during reentry in the upper atmosphere, which is connected to climate change. This data directly relates to meteorological phenomena and also affects the various man-made objects traveling through the mesosphere, which would be of benefit to meteorology and the aerospace industry. ALE plans to collaborate with scientists and research institutions to increase the fidelity and accuracy of climate change and weather forecast models, as well as drive the design and optimization of safe spacecraft.
◇ Development of microsatellite technologies
ALE conducts development of micro-satellite and associated technologies. Current, ALE is working with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to develop compact, lightweight electro-dynamic tethers (EDT). This EDT is expected as one of the effective measures to counter space debris proliferation, that Japan has set as a priority. By installing this EDT in advance on the satellites and rockets that will be launched in the future, it will be possible to lower their orbit after the mission and make them enter Earth's atmosphere. This type of post-mission disposal (PMD) technique will prevent the generation of new space debris.
* ALE press release on conductive tether (EDT)
http://star-ale.com/en/news/2019/02/28/000063.html
* JAXA press release regarding tie-up with ALE (J-SPARC) in EDT development
http://aerospacebiz.jaxa.jp/topics/news/20190228_ale/