Technology

Our Satellites

ALE's human-made shooting star satellites were developed together with Tohoku University.
Our satellites, ALE-1 and ALE-2, are both equipped with multiple sensors that measure attitude and position along with three independent safety decision-making systems, making them extremely reliable.

The meteor release device is a payload (mission system) equipped with highly precise processing technologies and high-quality components. It has highly precise emission capabilities, and it can safely and accurately generate shooting stars at a designated location.
Our meteor particles are released after ensuring that the probability of collision with other spacecraft or debris on the designated path is sufficiently low, which prevents new space debris generation.

The particles burn up at altitudes of about 60 to 80km due to aerodynamic heating. Therefore, they will not fall on the ground.

ALE-1 satellite launched by JAXA Epsilon rocket
(Launched on January 18, 2019)
Performance test of the particle release device in the vacuum chamber

ALE-1

Mission

  • Technical and marketability verification of human-made shooting stars as entertainment
  • Observe characteristics of the upper atmosphere using human-made shooting stars.
  • To study the re-entry behavior of the human-made shooting stars.

Launched: Epsilon 4, JAXA (2019/01/18)
Weight: 68 kg
Dimensions: 600x600x800mm

ALE-2

Mission

  • Technical and marketability verification of human-made shooting stars as entertainment
  • Observe characteristics of the upper atmosphere using human-made shooting stars.
  • To study the re-entry behavior of the human-made shooting stars.

Launched: Electron Rocket, Rocket Lab (2019/12/06)
Weight: 75kg
Dimensions: 557x665x700mm

ALE-3

Mission

  • Technical and marketability verification of human-made shooting stars as entertainment,
  • Observe characteristics of the upper atmosphere using human-made shooting stars.
  • To study the mechanism of shooting star luminescence using the human-made shooting stars.

Launched: TBD
Weight: 200kg(planned)
Dimensions: 812x812x1300mm(planned)

Plasma & Material Technology

Our plasma & material technology

When the meteor particles enter Earth's atmosphere, they become high-temperature plasma that emits light and will eventually vanish.

ALE has developed a compact plasma wind tunnel to simulate this phenomenon and to test different materials for the meteor particles. We are researching mechanisms for material ablation caused by aerodynamic heating. This can enable further development of materials for spacecraft, and contribution to meteor sciences.

ALEʻs plasma wind tunnel
ALEʻs plasma wind tunnel
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The above light emission experiment images are from the ground experiments result. The visibility, colors and appearances may differ when in outer space.