~ Launch from Hokkaido Spaceport on July 6 ~
The suborbital rocket “VP01” developed by jtSPACE Co., Ltd., a Japanese sister company of a Taiwanese rocket development company, will be launched from the Hokkaido Spaceport (HOSPO) as outlined below.
Launch Overview
- Launch Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025
- Launch Windows: 6:00-7:30, 10:50-12:00, or 16:00-17:00 (JST)
- Contingency Launch Dates: July 12–13, July 19–20, July 26–27, 2025 (weekends only)
- Launch Site: Hokkaido Spaceport, Launch Complex 1 – Launch Pad 12（LC1-LP12）
- Direction of Launch: East-Southeast
- Launch Objective: Reach the Kármán line (100km) and verify operation of all rocket systems
※Launch date and time may be postponed due to weather and other conditions
jtSPACE Co., Ltd., sister company to Taiwanese entity tiSPACE (Taiwan Innovative Space Inc.), is a local Japanese entity that aims to develop a space transportation business in Japan. The launch of suborbital rocket “VP01” marks the first step of this long-term journey. The goal of this launch is for the rocket to reach the Kármán line (100km) , with the purpose of verifying the performance of the rocket. The outcome of this launch will lay ground for the future development of a planned orbital launch vehicle.
This is the first launch of a rocket reaching outer space at an altitude of 100 km in HOSPO in four years, since the MOMO F6 of Interstellar Technologies Inc. (Taiki Town) in July 2021. The launch of jtSPACE will also be the first launch backed by a foreign capital in Japan.
Taiki Town and SPACE COTAN Co., Ltd. (SPACE COTAN), which operate “Hokkaido Spaceport (HOSPO)”, a commercial spaceport open to the private sector in Asia, will continue to accept launches from diverse companies and organizations to contribute to the development of the space industry and to revitalize the region through the space industry.
On the day of the launch, the runway at Hokkaido Spaceport will be open to the public to allow viewing of the launch.
Further details will be announced on the HOSPO website at a later date.https://hokkaidospaceport.com/en/
About the rocket
- Name: 2-stage suborbital launch vehicle “VP01”
- Total Length: 12m
- Diameter: 0.6m
- Weight: 1.4t
- Engine: Hybrid system using synthetic rubber as solid fuel and nitrous oxide (N2O) as oxidizer
- Thrust: first stage; 6,500 kgf, second stage; 1,100 kgf
- Maximum altitude: Approximately 100km
About jtSPACE Co., Ltd.
- Representative: Yung-Yu Liu, President and CEO
- Location: 3-700-8, Shinko-minami, Ishikari City, Hokkaido, Japan
- Business Overview: Providing integrated space transportation solutions from launch vehicle development, manufacturing, and launch services by utilizing proprietary hybrid rocket propulsion system technology.
- Website: https://www.jtspace.co.jp/
About Taiki Town
- Representative: Yutaka Kurokawa, Mayor
- Location: 33 Higashihon-dori, Taiki Town, Hiroo District, Hokkaido, Japan
- Overview: A town with a population of 5,300 where agriculture, fishing, and forestry are the core industries. The town was recognized as suitable for an aerospace base in 1984 and has been promoting the development of the “Town of Space” for about 40 years since then. In 2022, construction began on “Launch Complex 1 (LC1)”, a dedicated launch site for small satellite launch vehicles. The goal is to create an aerospace industry hub and ecosystem with Hokkaido Spaceport as its core.
- Website: https://www.town.taiki.hokkaido.jp
About SPACE COTAN Co., Ltd.
- Representative: Yoshinori Odagiri, President and CEO
- Location: 98 Nishihondori, Taiki Town, Hiroo District, Hokkaido
- Business Overview: Overall promotion of HOSPO project based on mandate from the Taiki town, and operation of HOSPO.
- Website: https://hokkaidospaceport.com/
Yung-Yu Liu, President and CEO of jtSPACE Co., Ltd.
We are honored to conduct the first suborbital launch by jtSPACE with our VP01 suborbital rocket. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to SPACE COTAN, the people of Taiki Town, and all those involved for their tremendous support and cooperation. This marks the first launch in Japan conducted by a foreign-invested company. We hope this launch will help attract rocket-related businesses from both Japan and abroad, and contribute—even in a small way—to the advancement of Japan’s space industry and the revitalization of the region.
Yutaka Kurokawa, Mayor of Taiki Town
The concept of HOSPO is a spaceport open to the private sector, and the launch of jtSPACE is the first step in realizing this concept. We are very pleased to have made this launch possible through years of coordination with SPACE COTAN and various related organizations. We hope that this will become the second successful spaceflight from HOSPO. Building on this momentum, our town will continue accelerating efforts to establish a “Silicon Valley of Space,” with HOSPO at its core, driving regional growth through ongoing development of a space-focused community.
Yoshinori Odagiri, President and CEO of SPACE COTAN Co., Ltd.
We are very pleased that jtSPACE will be launching at HOSPO. I am sure that jtSPACE faced many difficulties as the first launch by a foreign capital in Japan, but I would like to express my sincere respect to the company for overcoming these difficulties and leading to the launch. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to the many people involved in the launch. This launch is the first step toward the high-frequency and diverse launches at HOSPO that Taiki Town and SPACE COTAN are aiming for. We will continue to support launches by a wide variety of businesses, taking advantage of Taiki’s location, which is ideal for launches, and contribute to the development of the space industry and the revitalization of the local community.
About Media Coverage
The jtSPACE launch will be open to all media. Members of the media who wish to cover the event are kindly requested to register using the link below. Official invitations and further details will be sent to registered media in due course.
Application Form: https://forms.gle/dtWMem9bn96hLJUb6
About Hokkaido Spaceport (HOSPO)
HOSPO is a commercial spaceport open to the private sector in Asia, which was established in Taiki, Japan. Taiki Town has been attracting the aerospace industry for 40 years, and is said to be one of the most suitable locations for a world-class spaceport due to its geographical advantages, such as an expansive sea to the east and south for launching, and a large land area that allows for high expansion of the launch site.
The suborbital launch site “LC0” is already in operation, and private launch vehicles have reached space three times in the past. To realize the vision of “creating an aerospace industry hub and ecosystem,” developments are underway on a new orbital launch site “LC1.”
In October 2024, Taiki Town and SPACE COTAN signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), committing to expand international spaceport collaboration with eight commercial spaceports located across five continents. In order to meet the growing demand for launches, SPACE COTAN will explore potential strategic partnerships aimed at establishing international spaceport standards.
Furthermore, SPACE COTAN was selected in January 2025 for the Japanese government’s Space Strategy Fund and will use the funding to develop ground-based technologies that support high-frequency launches of various launch vehicles.
