Asian Try Zero-G 2025 In-orbit Experiment Event Held This March!

A total of 23 participants and escorts from Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand participated in person at the Tsukuba Space Center, while 17 students and representatives from Australia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) participated online.

The event kicked off with a welcoming address by JAXA Astronaut KANAI Norishige. In the following keynote speech, Dr. SHIRAKAWA Masaki, Director of the JAXA Space Environment Utilization Center, presented an overview of the ISS, the significance of utilizing the space environment, and the outlook for space environment utilization, helping participants deepen their understanding of its possibilities. Additionally, DigitalBlast, Inc. introduced the processes required to conduct in-orbit experiments, such as preparing items for launch to the ISS and creating safety procedures.

During the student session, the proposers of each theme gave presentations on the objectives, methods, and expected results of the in-orbit experiments. Each presentation drew questions from participating students and officials from various space agencies, sparking active discussions about in-orbit execution methods and how to utilize the resulting data. Afterward, on-site participants had the opportunity to further connect with fellow students, industry representatives, and JAXA staff during a mingling session.

The students visiting the Tsukuba Space Center moved to an observation room to watch the in-orbit experiments.
The experiments proposed by the students were conducted by NASA Astronaut Christopher Williams, who is currently on a long-duration mission aboard the ISS. The students watched as the astronaut carried out the experiments inside Kibo, while also observing the ground mission control team supporting the operations in real time. On-site participants received commentary from Astronaut KANAI, who shared insights based on his own experience in space, while online participants followed the event through the live broadcast. From their respective locations, all the participating students watched the experiments unfold with great fascination.

After the experiments concluded, Dr. SHIRAKAWA presented certificates of participation to the students who attended in person. Certificates for online participants will be distributed later. The event concluded after participants gathered for commemorative photographs.

The students are scheduled to analyze the results of these experiments and present their findings at a debriefing session to be held later. Through Asian Try Zero-G, JAXA aims to deepen understanding of space environment utilization among students and young researchers in the Asia-Pacific region, while actively promoting human resource development.