We held a workshop on space sustainability.

SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation (hereinafter, the Company) held its first workshop for high school students who will shape the future, with the aim of promoting and deepening understanding of space sustainability. On the day of the event, participants attended a lecture on Geostationary satellites and the importance of space sustainability, observed Geostationary satellites through a telescope, and joined a roundtable discussion with our employees.

Reason for Planning the Workshop

Our company launched a project in FY2023 to build an optical observation system. The objective of this project is to learn optical observation techniques, investigate surrounding technological trends, and accumulate technical expertise that can support business development in the SSA (Space Situational Awareness) field, which we intend to prioritize in the future. After successfully observing Geostationary satellites with a small telescope in FY2023, voices emerged to expand the initiative externally in FY2024, which led to this workshop.

The first session was held for the members of the Earth Science Club at Kanagawa Prefectural Yokohama Midorigaoka High School (hereafter, Midorigaoka High School). Midorigaoka High School has also been designated as a Super Science School (*1) and showed great interest in this initiative. Below is a report on the day's activities!

(Note 1) A school designated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) to cultivate students’ scientific inquiry skills through advanced science and technology as well as science and mathematics education, with the aim of fostering the scientific and technological talent that will lead society in the future.

Scenes from the Workshop

The observation session was scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m., after sunset. First, one of our employees delivered a lecture on Geostationary satellites and sustainability in space. Although the lecture on methods for observing Geostationary satellites included some advanced material, the participants, who already possessed considerable knowledge about space, listened with great enthusiasm. We frequently observed them discussing the more challenging points and questions among themselves, which showed how deeply engaged they were in the workshop.

After the lecture, we moved to the school’s rooftop, where the observation session of Geostationary satellites began. Although there was a lot of yellow dust that day, which made observation difficult, thanks to our thorough preparations, we were able to start the session without any problems.

Although the students had experience with astronomical observations, this was their first time observing geostationary satellites, and once the session began they were glued to the monitor displaying the imagery. During the Q&A, various questions were raised, including inquiries about the uses of the geostationary satellites they had observed. There was also keen interest in how the setup differed from the equipment they usually use, and when they were given the opportunity to handle the instruments freely midway through the observation, everyone wore excited expressions.

Although it is hard to see, the tiny dot at the tip of my finger is a Geostationary satellite. (The streaks that look like lines are stars.)

With the two telescopes we had prepared, we were able to observe five Geostationary satellites. After finishing the observations, we divided into three groups and held a round-table discussion with our company staff.

This workshop was our company’s first such initiative, but we were impressed by the students’ high level of enthusiasm throughout.

At the SKY Perfect JSAT Group, we have identified “Regional and Community Development—For the Next Generation, For Local Communities” as one of our key material themes. Going forward, we will continue to contribute to the sustainable development of society through initiatives such as support for next-generation education.