Nonconformance During Small Satellite Deployment Mission (J-SSOD #35)

During the small satellite deployment mission J-SSOD #35 conducted on February 3, 2026, it was discovered that one of the small satellites installed in the satellite deployment case had been mounted in an orientation different from the intended configuration during the ground preparation phase.

The satellite in question was developed by Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech), and the nonconformance was identified following a notification from their team. Consequently, it is possible that this satellite and an adjacent satellite may have been affected. The adjacent satellite in the case was jointly developed by Kyushu Institute of Technology and Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.

Following our review of this nonconformance, we concluded that it was attributable to human error in ground preparation activities and related verification procedures. We sincerely apologize to Kyushu Institute of Technology and Universiti Teknologi MARA, as the satellite owners, and to all concerned parties for the inconvenience caused.

We take this matter very seriously. In addition to conducting a more thorough investigation into the root causes, we will implement measures to prevent recurrence. We are fully committed to enhancing the robustness and reliability of small satellite deployment missions to ensure that similar incidents do not occur in the future.