Taiki Town Office and SPACE COTAN Co., Ltd. (SPACE COTAN) are pleased to announce that ArkEdge Space Inc. (ArkEdge Space), a Tokyo-based space startup that provides comprehensive solutions from planning and design to mass production and operation of micro-satellite constellations, has established a satellite ground control station in the Kouchien area of Taiki Town.
This new ground station will support ArkEdge Space’s research, development, demonstration, and commercialization of next-generation maritime infrastructure. It is the company’s second ground station, following one in Makinohara City, Shizuoka Prefecture.
With this addition, a total of 13 space-related companies and organizations have now established a presence in Taiki Town. Moving forward, Taiki Town and SPACE COTAN will continue their efforts to attract more aerospace industry partners, with the shared vision of creating an “Silicon Valley of Space” in Hokkaido.
Key Factors Behind the Selection of Taiki Town
A ground station is a facility that transmits commands to satellites and receives data from them. Because satellite signals are much weaker than those of cellphones, and some frequencies are affected by weather conditions, it is important to minimize surrounding radio interference. Taiki Town was selected as the site for this new ground station due to its high percentage of clear skies, low level of radio interference, and its strong community support and proactive efforts to attract space-related businesses.
Overview of the Taiki Ground Station
The Taiki ground station serves as one of ArkEdge Space’s core bases for satellite operations and remote control.
Main Specifications:
- Antenna diameter: 3.9 m
- Total height: 5 m
- Supported frequency bands:
- S band (uplink / downlink)
- X band (downlink only)
- Ka band (downlink only)
Roles of the Taiki Ground Station
The Taiki station will be used in the following three domains for ArkEdge Space’s ongoing R&D, demonstration, and commercialization projects:
Contribution to Maritime Activities through VDES (VHF Data Exchange System)
- VDES is a new communication standard that enhances the existing AIS (Automatic Identification System), which is mandatory for large vessels. By incorporating ASM (Application-Specific Messages) and VDE (VHF Data Exchange) functions, VDES enables two-way digital communication between ships, including via satellites. This allows real-time information exchange, even with vessels operating in remote ocean areas. Using a constellation of microsatellites, this project aims to build a redundant global maritime communication network that operates independently of terrestrial infrastructure, enhancing maritime safety and improving logistical efficiency.
Advancement of Maritime Observation Technologies
- Monitoring vessel positions is essential for security and environmental protection. However, vessels without AIS or with disabled/spoofed AIS signals pose limitations for current tracking methods. This project aims to establish a technology for estimating vessel positions using radio waves emitted by marine radars, detected and analyzed from satellites. This will enable more accurate and comprehensive maritime domain awareness, contributing to safer seas.
Data Collection via Satellite IoT
- Various types of data collected from land and ocean sensors (such as meteorological, oceanographic, logistics, and environmental data) are typically transmitted via cellular or internet networks. However, data acquisition in remote areas or regions without terrestrial networks remains a challenge. In this project, ArkEdge Space is developing technology to collect sensor data via satellites equipped with low-power, long-range IoT communication devices, aiming to establish an infrastructure for wide-area and sustainable monitoring, even in areas lacking communication networks.
About ArkEdge Space Inc.
- Representative: Takayoshi Fukuyo, CEO
- Location: 3F, Dome Ariake Headquarter, 1-3-33 Ariake, Koto Ward, Tokyo, Japan
- Business Overview: ArkEdge Space is a Japanese space technology company offering end-to-end solutions for micro-satellite constellations—from planning and design to mass production and operations. Guided by its mission of “empowering people with satellites for a prosperous future,” the company is advancing capabilities in Earth observation, maritime satellite communications (VDES), optical communications, and low-Earth orbit satellite positioning, as well as lunar activities and deep space exploration. Through our mission, ArkEdge Space continues to drive the advancement of space innovation and its practical application.
- Website: https://arkedgespace.com/
About Taiki Town
- Representative: Yutaka Kurokawa, Mayor
- Location: 33 Higashihondori, Taiki Town, Hiroo, 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 development of town of space for about 40 years since then. In 2022, construction began on “Launch Complex 1 (LC1)”, a launch site for small satellites. 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, Hokkaido
- Business Overview: SPACE COTAN oversees the overall promotion of the Hokkaido Spaceport (HOSPO) project under mandate from Taiki Town, including management and operation of the spaceport, fundraising, launch site design, acquisition of national certifications, business development, and public relations.
- Website: https://hokkaidospaceport.com/
About Hokkaido Spaceport (HOSPO)
HOSPO is a commercial spaceport in Asia open to the private sector, located in Taiki, Japan. For over 40 years, Taiki Town has actively attracted the aerospace industry and is regarded as one of the most suitable locations for a world-class spaceport, due to its geographical advantages: open seas to the east and south for launch trajectories and expansive land for future site expansion.
The suborbital launch site Launch Complex 0 (LC0) is already operational, with private launch vehicles having reached space three times to date.
To realize its vision of creating a “Silicon Valley of Space,” development is underway on a new orbital launch site, Launch Complex 1 (LC1). Future plans include Launch Complex 2 (LC2) for high-frequency launches, Launch Complex X (LCX) for larger and human-rated launch vehicles, and a new 3,000 m runway for point-to-point transportation (P2P)
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.
In a further milestone, in July 2025, jtSPACE Co., Ltd., a Japanese sister company of a Taiwanese firm, conducted the nation’s first suborbital rocket launch funded by foreign capital at HOSPO.
