On Wednesday, February 4, 2026, ALE Co., Ltd. held a press conference at Cosmo Planetarium Shibuya to announce its new project and services.
The event welcomed a large number of media representatives and served as an important opportunity to share ALE’s next step toward realizing its vision of “Make space closer. For all of us. Together.”
Launch of the New Project “Starlight Challenge”
ALE has officially launched “Starlight Challenge,” a new project aiming to conduct an artificial shooting star demonstration within fiscal year 2028.
Building on the knowledge gained from two previous attempts, ALE is taking on its third challenge by releasing meteor source particles from a satellite at an altitude of approximately 400 km to create artificial shooting stars.
This mission goes beyond entertainment: by capturing data from the upper atmosphere (the mesosphere), which is difficult to observe through conventional means, the project will contribute to scientific research such as the study of climate change mechanisms.
Collaboration with Four Corporate Partners
ALE has entered into partnerships with four leading Japanese companies that share the vision of this project:
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PR TIMES, Inc.
Launching the “Stars on the Ground Project” to expand support for companies that take on bold challenges. -
au Energy & Life, Inc.
Providing a mechanism to support space development through everyday electricity usage via the new power plan “Nagareboshi Denki.” -
Takara Standard Co., Ltd.
Conducting space-based demonstrations using high-quality enamel materials to verify performance in extreme environments. -
TRUSCO NAKAYAMA Corporation
Promoting initiatives to energize the space industry and broaden the circle of support for ALE’s challenge.
“Nagareboshi Denki”: A World-First Power Plan That Lets You Support Space in Everyday Life
Starting on the day of the press conference, ALE launched “Nagareboshi Denki,” a new electricity plan developed in collaboration with au Energy & Life.
A portion of customers’ electricity fees is allocated to supporting the artificial shooting star project. In addition, subscribers can participate in “space development work experience” programs and enjoy exclusive membership benefits, bringing real space development closer to everyday life.
ALE will continue to pursue bold challenges that combine science and entertainment, inspiring human curiosity and expanding the possibilities of space.
We invite you to follow the progress of Starlight Challenge as it moves forward.
Starlight Challenge Special Website
Nagareboshi Denki Official Website