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1\21 Japan - NASDA Rpt No 126 2002 DECEMBER
Part 3 of 5

Support for the Research and Development of Advanced Parts
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Today, the advancement of the technologies, chiefly in LSI, seem to be 
endless. Highly advanced commercial technologies are quickly adapted 
to the spacecrafts, and pushing the envelope of functionalities.

These parts are the decisive elements in the spacecraft performance
and functionalities, and a contributing factor of the technological
abilities and international competitiveness. Undoubtfully, the ability 
to obtain and utilize these parts is important enough that it could 
affect the survival of the system integrators. 

We consider that these highly advanced parts should be developed by
neutral organizations and provided to the system manufacturers, so
that it would indirectly vitalize the whole space industry in Japan.

Since NASDA has well equipped facilities for development and
experiment, we believe it is most efficient if NASDA takes on that
responsibility. Specialized technology can be developed in
collaborations with expert companies including small to middle sized
companies. 

Such an approach will bring in the "Competition & Cooperation" into
parts acquisition by keeping the highly advanced parts technologies
that survived "Choice and Focus" needed for international competition.

In addition, we can import foreign technologies that have not been
developed domestically in return for the export of Japan's
distinguished technologies. It will be very important in pursuing
Japan's space activity while maintaining the equal partnerships with
overseas space agencies.

Let us describe NASDA's approach to the parts issues, including
committees and seminars.


Space Parts Technologies Committee
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NASDA formed the Space Parts Technologies Committee (referred to as
the "committee" from hereon) on October 1, 2002. The objectives of the 
committee were, to improve the reliablity and the autonomity of
spacecraft systems, to deliberate a parts program aimed at encouraging 
the development and use of critical parts, to promote the use of 
domestically developed parts, and to enhance techniques for evaluating 
parts.

The eighty-member committee is chaired by Professor Fumio Harashima
(Tokyo Denki University). It has two subcommittees, one is chaired by
Professor Nobuyuki Tomita (Musashi University) and specializing in
mechanisms and materials, and the other is Kazunori Ohnishi (Nihon
University) specializing in electronics. The committee evaluates the
following issues. 

(1) Establishing a basic policy for the parts program aimed at
improving the reliablity while maintaining the autonomity of
spacecraft system. 

(2) Analyzing the constituents of the parts program and specifying
critical technologies. 

(3) Specifying technologies that must be maintained for domestic
development and procurement of strategic parts. 

(4) Promoting the use of domestically manufactured parts.

(5) Inheriting and accumulating parts-related technologies.
 

Parts Technology Expert Groups to Improve Efficiency and Speciality
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In order to meet diverse demands for project support and to prepare
for the consolidation of Japan's three major space organizations, the
Expert Groups in the Office of Research and Development was
restructured. 

In 2000 eleven groups were established in the Electronic and
Information Technology Department and the Control and Propulsion
Technology Department. These groups were later restructured into four
Expert Groups and the Office of Research and Development in 2001.
Then on October 1, 2002, the Office of Research and Development was
restructured into three Expert Groups, making the number of Expert
Groups to seven. Theese seven groups include the System Guidance
Technology Group, System Evaluation Technology Group, Space
Electronics Technology Group, Space Environment Data Acquisition
Group, Material and Mechanism Technology Group, Satellite Propulsion
System Technology Group, and Space Parts Technology Group. 

Among these, the Space Electronics Technology Group, Material and
Mechanism Technology Group, and Space Parts Technology Group have
direct involvement in parts technology. 


Space Parts Development Promotion Center, 
the Center of the Parts Development Plan
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On November 1, 2002, NASDA established the Space Parts Development
Promotion Center within the Office of Research and Development. The
Center is aimed at ensuring autonomy and flexibility in Japan's space
activities and at strengthening the parts-related technological
foundation. NASDA intends to conduct parts development promotion
activities integrally and systematically throug this center. The
center is responsible for the planning, policy deliberation,
coordination of parts-related projects, and promoting the their use. 

The major projects of the center are described below.

(1) Develop mid-term plans regarding parts in accordance with the
policy prepared by the committee, and develop a policy regarding
research and development of critical parts and technological
evaluations on domestically and internationally manufactured parts. 

(2) Coordinate interdiciplinary cooperation for parts projects ranging 
from the selection and procurement to the development of parts.

(3) Collect technological information regarding parts, and promote
their usage. 


Workshop on Semiconductor Devices Held
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The 5th International Workshop on the Radiation Effects on
Semiconductor Devices for Space Applications was held at the Takasaki
City Gallery between October 9 and 11, 2002. 

MDS-1 (Tsubasa) Launched atop the H-IIA No. 2 launch vehicle was
injected into its designated orbit, and sending down the data from
Commercial Semiconductor Device (CSD), Terrestrial Solar Cell (TSC)
and Space Environment Data Acquisition (SEDA) equipment since then. 

The issues associated with semiconductor devices, such as single event 
phenomenas and total dose effects are receuvung the international 
attentions. Research organizations in many countries are continuously 
conducting the researches, and many satellites have been launched to 
measure space radiation, which are providing us more information and 
valuable observational data.

As the national organizations actively pursue the research, increasing 
collaborations between the domestic researchers and their overseas 
counterparts are expected in order to obtain the result more
efficiently. 

(continued)

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