Asset Finance & Alternatives in APAC & Beyond
Aviation Finance, Alt Asset Finance in APAC & Beyond
Your exclusive gateway to the latest developments across transportation and space, and most importantly, how to finance it all - debt, equity, and defi! We follow and forecast where the money’s at.
Join us as we navigate through the latest roundup to uncover key developments across the region.
**Nothing in this article is intended to be or should be construed as legal or financial advice.**
Summary
Financing & Investments: BNM Launches Ringgit Stablecoin and Tokenized Deposit Pilots; Bursa Malaysia and TERAJU Partner to Boost Bumiputera IPOs; OKX Ventures Backs STBL Stablecoin on X Layer; SLEEK EV Raises $8.5M Series A to Expand Thai EV Production; Grab to Acquire Stash Financial for $425M; Chipbond Opens $200M Semiconductor Facility in Penang; and G42 and Partners Plan $1B AI and Cloud Investment in Vietnam
Environmental Sustainability: HAMR Energy Raises AUD 10M Series A to Advance Low-Carbon Fuels; HKMA Expands Sustainable Finance Taxonomy to 25 Activities; Honeywell Deploys Ethanol-to-Jet SAF Project in India; Indian Researchers Develop Low-Cost Green Hydrogen Catalyst; Indonesia to Test Hydrogen Vehicles Ahead of GHES 2026; and Keppel and Aster Explore Commercial-Scale SAF Facility on Jurong Island
Aviation: HKIA Becomes First Airport to Operate Large Fleet of Autonomous Vehicles; Air New Zealand Cancels 46 Widebody Flights Amid Crew Strike; Rolls-Royce Singapore and EDB Sign MoU to Boost Aerospace Manufacturing; Boeing Launches BUILD Programme with NUS to Foster Aerospace Innovation; and Bell 505 Helicopter Enters South Korea for Firefighting Operations
Advanced Air Mobility: EHang Advances VT35 eVTOL Certification and Expands Production; United Aircraft Showcases Heavy-Lift and Firefighting UAVs at Singapore Airshow; India Explores Rooftop eVTOL Corridors for Urban Travel; SkyDrive Signs Deal with 7A Drones for Inter-Island Medical Flights in Taiwan; and Vertical Aerospace Tests eVTOL EMS Operations in Singapore
Marine: AET to Build Malaysia’s First Hybrid-Electric Shuttle Tanker; PaxOcean Opens $158M Shipyard with Innovation Hub in Singapore; NUS Develops Ammonia-Fueled Low-Emission Marine Engines; Shipbreaking in South Asia Raises Safety and Environmental Concerns; and Thai Navy Rescues Crew from Listing Containership
Space: Gilmour Space Expands in South Australia’s Landing Pad; iSpace Raises $729M for Reusable Rockets in China; China Plans Space-Based Data Centers to Boost AI; Japan to Test Solar Power from OHISAMA Satellite; and ALE Launches Third Satellite for Artificial Meteor Demonstration
Financing & Investments
Southeast Asia is seeing a shift toward regulated digital finance and advanced tech, with central banks and investors testing new models—such as Malaysia piloting ringgit stablecoins and Singapore’s OKX backing real-asset stablecoins. At the same time, cross-border tech and manufacturing investments, like SLEEK EV’s Series A in Thailand and Chipbond’s new facility in Penang, show a focus on scaling production and infrastructure across the region.
Malaysia
Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) announced that its Digital Asset Innovation Hub (DAIH) has onboarded three initiatives to test real-world applications of ringgit stablecoins and tokenized deposits in 2026. The pilots will focus on wholesale payment use cases, including domestic and cross-border transactions and the settlement of tokenized assets, in a controlled environment with corporate and regulatory partners. Some use cases will also consider Shariah compliance, with the aim of informing monetary and financial stability policy.
💡BNM said it expects to provide clearer guidance on ringgit stablecoins and tokenized deposits by the end of 2026, and that these initiatives could inform future work on a wholesale central bank digital currency (wCBDC).
Malaysia
Bursa Malaysia Berhad has signed a memorandum of collaboration (MoC) with Unit Peneraju Agenda Bumiputera (TERAJU) to support Bumiputera companies in preparing for initial public offerings (IPOs). The partnership aims to enhance market diversity by providing advisory support, networking opportunities with capital market intermediaries, and capacity-building programs to guide high-potential Bumiputera firms through IPO requirements.
💡Under the MoC, TERAJU will identify eligible companies, facilitate access to funding and incentives, and coordinate with stakeholders to provide holistic support during the listing process.
Singapore
OKX Ventures has made a strategic investment in STBL to support the launch of a real-world-asset-backed stablecoin on X Layer, OKX’s EVM-compatible Layer 2 blockchain. The initiative is in partnership with Hamilton Lane and Securitize, combining institutional private credit, regulated tokenization, and programmable settlement infrastructure to advance regulated on-chain financial products.
💡STBL will also introduce an Ecosystem-Specific Stablecoin (ESS) on X Layer using a dual-token model to separate liquid settlement from yield generation. The collaboration aims to scale regulated stablecoin issuance backed by tokenized real-world assets while providing efficient liquidity and yield management across on-chain ecosystems.
Singapore-Thailand
SLEEK EV, a Singapore-based and Thailand-operated electric motorcycle manufacturer, has announced an $8.5 million first close in its Series A funding round. The investment was led by KYMCO Capital, a private equity fund backed by global powersports manufacturer Kwang Yang Motor Co., Ltd (KYMCO), alongside more than twenty supply chain participants from Taiwan and mainland China.
According to SLEEK EV, the capital will be used to expand production capacity at a facility located along Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor, accelerate research and development of AI-driven software and user-experience features, and increase the number of EV S-Charge stations by more than seven times.
💡The company added that it plans to strengthen partnerships with organizations including PTT OR, Krungsri Auto, Toyota Tsusho, and Grab, while working with dealers and regulatory bodies to support charging and battery-swapping standards.
Singapore-USA
Grab Holdings Limited has signed definitive agreements to acquire 100 percent of Stash Financial, Inc. in a deal valued at $425 million. Grab said payment for a 50.1 percent stake will be made at closing through a mix of cash and stock, with the remaining interest to be acquired over three years at fair market value. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
💡Stash, a U.S.-regulated investment advisor with more than $5 billion in assets under management, offers subscription-based investing, banking and financial education tools, including its AI Money Coach platform.
Taiwan-Malaysia
Chipbond Technology Corporation has opened a new advanced semiconductor packaging and testing facility in Penang, Malaysia, with a total investment of nearly $200 million. The plant will offer wafer bumping, wafer-level chip-scale packaging and testing, with an initial monthly capacity of 10,000 wafers and 100 million WLCSP units.
💡The facility is expected to complete internal qualification by the end of 2025, with customer qualification beginning in early 2026.
UAE-Vietnam
The Abu Dhabi-based technology holding group G42 and a consortium formed by FPT Corporation and Viet Thai Group have signed a framework cooperation agreement to develop up to $1 billion in sovereign artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure across Vietnam. The agreement aims to establish the legal, financial and regulatory framework for deploying hyperscale data centers and public cloud infrastructure, with planned cloud capacity across three data center locations to support public- and private-sector workloads.
💡Under the partnership, the parties aim to advance national-scale AI and cloud infrastructure through coordinated investment and deployment. The next phase will include regulatory approvals for public cloud adoption, workload planning between sectors and site development for data center infrastructure.
Environmental Sustainability
Southeast Asia and Australia are advancing low-carbon transport and energy, with projects in sustainable aviation fuel, hydrogen, and clean tech. Examples include HAMR Energy’s methanol-to-jet SAF in Australia, Honeywell’s ethanol-to-SAF in India, India’s low-cost green hydrogen catalyst, Indonesia’s hydrogen vehicle trials, and Keppel’s planned SAF facility in Singapore.
Australia
HAMR Energy announced the close of its AUD 10 million Series A funding round, with investment from Airbus, Qantas, and thyssenkrupp Uhde. The funding will support HAMR Energy’s pipeline of low-carbon liquid fuel projects, including the Portland Renewable Fuels (PRF) facility in Victoria, which will convert plantation forestry residues into 300,000 tonnes per year of low-carbon methanol for shipping and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
The investment from Airbus and Qantas comes from their joint Australian Sustainable Aviation Fuel fund, and existing investors have recommitted, supporting HAMR Energy’s goal of strengthening Australian fuel security and decarbonising hard-to-abate transport sectors
💡The company is also developing Australia’s first major methanol-to-jet fuel facility, capable of producing over 135 million litres of SAF annually; HAMR Energy will leverage Honeywell’s UOP eFining™ process to convert methanol into SAF.
Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has released Phase 2A of its Sustainable Finance Taxonomy, expanding coverage from 12 to 25 economic activities and adding transition finance and climate adaptation elements. The update introduces a three-tier classification—Green, Transition, and Exclusion—enabling investors to identify activities aligned with net-zero goals, those progressing along credible decarbonisation pathways, and activities incompatible with a 1.5°C trajectory.
Phase 2A also adds climate adaptation measures, focusing on resilience technologies, processes, and services, while widening sector coverage to six, including manufacturing and ICT.
💡The expanded Taxonomy aims to mobilise capital to high-emitting sectors such as energy and manufacturing, providing time-bound eligibility criteria to ensure orderly decarbonisation. By aligning more closely with global frameworks, the update supports risk pricing, disclosure, and comparability for investors and lenders, while offering policymakers a tool to guide finance toward hard-to-abate sectors without compromising economic competitiveness.
India
Honeywell announced that TruAlt Bioenergy Limited will deploy its Ethanol-to-Jet (ETJ) technology to produce 80,000 tons per year of SAF in India, creating one of the country’s first dedicated ethanol-based SAF facilities.
💡Honeywell says the project will help India reduce aviation-sector CO₂ emissions and build industrial capacity for SAF, while TruAlt aims to create a scalable ethanol-to-SAF pathway linking local agriculture to global decarbonization efforts.
India
Scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad have developed a low-cost electrode material aimed at reducing the cost of green hydrogen production. The team created a catalyst using abundant elements such as molybdenum, vanadium, sulfur, and carbon, offering an alternative to expensive noble metals like platinum and ruthenium. The system reduces the energy required for electrochemical water splitting while maintaining strong catalytic performance.
💡The researchers also demonstrated hydrogen generation using commercially available silicon solar cells, indicating a potential solar-to-hydrogen pathway. Published in the journal Small (Wiley, 2026), the findings highlight a step toward affordable, locally produced green hydrogen, though industrial-scale validation and integration remain key challenges.
Indonesia
Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) will carry out road tests of hydrogen-powered buses, cars, and converted motorcycles in July as part of the Global Hydrogen Ecosystem Summit (GHES) 2026. The summit will also feature conferences, business matching, and hydrogen vehicle test drives, aiming to demonstrate the potential of hydrogen beyond its current use in fertilizer and refinery industries.
💡Hydrogen and ammonia have been designated strategic New Energy Sources under Government Regulation No. 40 of 2025, with hydrogen projected to contribute 10–12 percent of national primary energy by 2060.
Singapore
Keppel Ltd., through its Infrastructure Division, has partnered with Aster to jointly assess the development of a commercial-scale ethanol-to-jet (EtJ) SAF facility on Jurong Island, Singapore. The proposed plant is planned to produce up to 100,000 metric tons of SAF per year, subject to final investment decisions and regulatory approvals.
💡Under the agreement, Keppel and Aster will conduct front-end engineering design (FEED) studies to evaluate technical configuration, capital expenditure, financing, and offtake structures. The project, building on a completed feasibility study, aims to be one of Asia’s first purpose-built EtJ SAF facilities.
Aviation
Airports and aerospace in Asia-Pacific are embracing automation, innovation, and talent development. Hong Kong leads with fully autonomous airport vehicles, Singapore focuses on aerospace manufacturing and university-led innovation programs, while operational challenges and new technology deployments appear in New Zealand and South Korea.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong International Airport has become the first airport globally to operate a large fleet of fully autonomous vehicles in daily operations. Its current fleet includes 56 autonomous electric tractors, eight patrol cars, and six staff shuttles, covering over 3 million kilometres without human intervention using Level 4 autonomy. Building on this success, HKIA plans to extend autonomous operations to landside passenger transport.
💡The electric tractors handle baggage transport along programmed routes and feature automated charging, significantly reducing the need for human drivers. Patrol vehicles monitor the airfield, detecting intrusions and anomalies, while autonomous buses will soon carry passengers between Terminal 2 and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, with a capacity of up to 2,000 passengers per hour per direction.
New Zealand
Air New Zealand has cancelled at least 46 widebody flights on 12–13 February in anticipation of a strike by its widebody cabin crew, affecting around 9,500 passengers. The industrial action follows failed negotiations with union E tū, which cited demanding, irregular schedules and shifting rosters as key concerns. The strike will be limited to widebody aircraft crew, while domestic and regional services are expected to operate normally.
💡The airline has retimed certain flights, redeployed aircraft, and plans some cargo-only services to minimise disruption, particularly on Tasman and Pacific routes.
Singapore
Rolls-Royce Singapore, Rolls-Royce Solutions Asia, and Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore growth opportunities in aerospace and power systems, focusing on advanced manufacturing, innovation, and collaboration.
💡Under the MoU, the partners will explore advancements in aerospace manufacturing and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) operations, including initiatives beyond the existing Smart Manufacturing Joint Lab. Rolls-Royce Solutions Asia will also seek to expand capabilities in supporting regional data centre growth, while the parties plan to establish an AI Centre of Excellence to advance agentic AI applications in power systems.
Singapore
Boeing has launched the 2026 edition of its University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) programme in partnership with the National University of Singapore (NUS), marking its first university collaboration in Southeast Asia. The programme will engage NUS students, graduates, alumni, and early-stage entrepreneurs to develop aerospace-focused solutions while accelerating talent development in the region.
💡Participants will have access to Boeing experts, industry mentors, and innovation resources to help translate ideas into real-world applications for the aerospace sector.
South Korea
Bell Textron has announced that South Korea’s EnB Air has purchased a Bell 505 helicopter for initial attack firefighting missions, marking the aircraft’s debut in the country’s firefighting operations. The Bell 505, equipped with Garmin G1000H NXi avionics and a dual-channel FADEC-controlled engine, is designed for rapid response to contain fires before they spread, offering speed, agility, and advanced technology for tactical fire assessment in challenging terrain.
💡The order follows EnB Air’s 2024 acquisition of its first Bell 505, the initial commercial sale in South Korea.
Advanced Air Mobility
Asia-Pacific is testing and expanding eVTOL and UAV operations for transport, logistics, and emergency services. China’s EHang and United Aircraft are scaling production and certification, India is studying urban air corridors, and Singapore and Taiwan will trial medical and EMS flights.
China
EHang is advancing its autonomous eVTOL program with plans to accelerate certification of its long-range VT35 lift-plus-cruise aircraft. Leveraging experience from the EH216-S multicopter—the first passenger-carrying autonomous eVTOL certified in China—the company expects the VT35 approval process to be faster, as many standards and components are already established. EHang is also exploring a potential hybrid-electric powertrain, though current development remains battery-electric focused.
💡Alongside certification, EHang is scaling its Yunfu manufacturing facility in Guangdong Province, doubling production area and adding automated lines to support projected output growth from 200 to up to 1,000 aircraft annually. International expansion is focused on markets with accessible certification pathways, such as Thailand and Brazil, while entry into the U.S. and Europe will require alignment with FAA and EASA standards.
China
United Aircraft Group returned to the 2026 Singapore Airshow showcasing five flagship UAVs, including the Lanying R6000 tiltrotor. The R6000, featuring a fly-by-light flight control system and a 342 mph cruise speed, completed its maiden flight in December 2025 and is undergoing tilt-mode testing to validate helicopter-to-fixed-wing transition.
Designed for heavy-lift, emergency response, and maritime operations, the UAV integrates a 4,400-lb payload capacity, 2,485 mi range, and AES100 turboshaft engine. United Aircraft is also developing airworthiness-certified crewed versions and continues flight campaigns to expand operational envelopes.
💡Other highlights included the Boying T1400, a tandem-rotor UAV for logistics and firefighting, capable of autonomous operations and delivering 4,400–6,600 lb of supplies per hour, and the TD550, China’s first type-certified uncrewed helicopter, used in flood relief and remote transport.
India
A new report from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) proposes a pilot air corridor linking Gurugram, Connaught Place, and Jewar International Airport to cut travel times from hours to minutes, highlighting the potential of eVTOL aircraft for urban mobility. The study envisions using rooftops as landing and parking sites for eVTOL aircraft, offering a cost-effective alternative to ground-based pads.
💡The report also outlines regulatory and operational steps needed to enable commercial rooftop flights, including forming a dedicated team within the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to set safety and operational standards. In the near term, the report suggests using drones for cargo and medical deliveries over 50–100 km, with special testing zones like GIFT City or Andhra Pradesh, and calls for dedicated funding from banks and government agencies to support AAM infrastructure.
Japan-Taiwan
Japan’s SkyDrive has reached a framework agreement with Taiwan’s 7A Drones Co., Ltd. for the purchase of 10 SkyDrive Model SD-05 aircraft. The agreement covers pricing, delivery timelines, and a proposed emergency medical evacuation route linking Magong City on Penghu’s main island with Hujing Island. Deliveries are scheduled to begin with one aircraft in 2028, followed by four in 2029, with the remaining five to be determined.
💡The initiative aims to address inter-island transport challenges in the Penghu archipelago, particularly during winter when ferry services are often disrupted.
UK-Singapore
Vertical Aerospace has received a proof-of-concept grant from Singapore’s Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) to test how its Valo eVTOL aircraft could support emergency medical services on remote island communities. Backed through HTX’s Hatch innovation center under the Dimension X Cohort 7 challenge, the project will develop, test, and validate EMS operations, including patient transport, in-flight care, and operational procedures aligned with safety and regulatory standards.
💡The trial, running through April 2026, will feature a POC flight demonstration to evaluate feasibility, response times, and safety. Vertical will work closely with HTX, Hatch, and operational partners to explore how electric vertical and hybrid-electric aircraft could enhance time-critical medical response around Singapore’s outlying islands.
Marine
Maritime projects focus on low-emission technologies and modernized infrastructure. Malaysia is building a hybrid-electric tanker, Singapore is developing ammonia-powered engines and a new shipyard, while South Asia continues to face safety and environmental issues in shipbreaking.
Malaysia
AET, the tanker arm of Malaysia’s MISC, has contracted Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Corp to build its first hybrid-electric shuttle tanker, a 154,000 dwt unit scheduled for delivery in 2028.
💡The vessel will feature an electric energy storage system and be dual-fuel ethanol-ready, adding a lower-emissions option to AET’s fleet.
Singapore
PaxOcean has inaugurated a new S$200 million ($158 million) shipyard at 5 Jalan Samulun (5JS) in the Jurong Industrial Estate, replacing its previous facility at 33 Tuas Crescent. The 17.26-hectare yard features two graving docks, one floating dock, expanded quayside capacity, and integrated workshops to support repairs, upgrades, newbuilds, and conversion projects for complex maritime and offshore assets.
5JS includes a purpose-built Innovation Hub (iHub5) and a new Centre of Excellence in Engineering R&D, supporting advanced maritime technologies, carbon capture, digital twin applications, and decarbonisation initiatives. The shipyard is powered by photovoltaic panels and an energy-efficient ACMV system, earning BCA Green Mark Platinum Super Low Energy (Provisional) and Whole Life Carbon certifications.
💡PaxOcean has committed over S$3.5 million in R&D over three years and plans to create 12 high-skilled engineering roles. 5JS is one of five PaxOcean shipyards across Singapore, China, and Indonesia, with a maintenance facility under construction in Saudi Arabia.
Singapore
The National University of Singapore (NUS) has initiated a research project to advance next-generation ammonia-fueled marine engines aimed at high efficiency and near-zero emissions. The project centers on an in-cylinder reforming gas recirculation (IRGR) engine concept designed to improve combustion while reducing unburned ammonia and other pollutants.
The team aims to produce scalable engine concepts to support low- and zero-emission vessels and strengthen Singapore’s position in sustainable maritime technology.
💡The three-year initiative involves a consortium of academic and industry partners, including Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Nanyang Technological University, A*STAR National Metrology Centre, Keppel Energy Nexus, Daihatsu, and American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).
South Asia
According to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, 85% of the world’s scrapped vessels in 2025 were dismantled on beaches in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, raising serious safety and environmental concerns. Out of 321 ships globally, 214 were broken in these countries, resulting in 11 fatalities and 62 injuries. A major accident occurred at Ziri Subedar yard in Chattogram when an oil tank exploded during the dismantling of the Banglar Jyoti. While some yards in Bangladesh are approved under the International Maritime Organisation’s Hong Kong Convention (HKC), enforcement and reporting remain inconsistent.
The report also highlights systemic issues in global ship recycling, including “dark fleet” vessels evading safety regulations, lax oversight from exporting nations such as China, South Korea, and the UAE, and corporate practices that externalize environmental risks. Greek shipping magnate Vangelis Marinakis was cited as the “Worst Corporate Dumper” for allegedly selling hazardous vessels to Bangladesh.
💡The platform urges stronger enforcement of international conventions, elimination of the beaching method, and tighter regulatory oversight to ensure safe and environmentally responsible ship recycling.
Thailand
The Royal Thai Navy rescued all 16 Bangladeshi crewmembers from the 6,500 dwt containership Sealloyd Arc after it began listing off southern Thailand on February 7. Eight were recovered by a local fishing boat and eight by a Phuket patrol boat, all uninjured.
💡The 115-meter vessel, built in 2005 in China and acquired by Singapore-based Sea Lloyd Shipping Lines in September 2025, sank about three miles offshore while carrying 229 containers, including 14 with hazardous materials. An oil spill of roughly 4.5 miles by one mile has been reported. Authorities are containing the slick, retrieving floating containers, and planning a salvage operation.
Space
Space activity in the region emphasizes launch capability, orbital infrastructure, and experimental technologies. Australia, China, and Japan are advancing reusable rockets, satellite operations, and space-based energy or observation projects, supporting both research and industry development.
Australia
Gilmour Space Technologies has set up operations at South Australia’s Lot Fourteen Defence and Space Landing Pad to strengthen industry ties and access the state’s growing space ecosystem. The Queensland-based company, which develops Australian-made launch vehicles and satellite platforms, will leverage the Landing Pad’s facilities, government support, and networks to collaborate with the Australian Space Agency, local research institutions, and industry partners.
💡The Landing Pad has supported more than 20 national and international defence and space companies since 2018, including Kongsberg, Egis, and L3 Harris.
China
Chinese launch company iSpace has raised a record 5.037 billion yuan ($729 million) in a D++ funding round to accelerate its reusable rocket program. The round, the largest disclosed for a Chinese launch startup, was led by Tongchuang Weiye and Jingming Capital and included government industrial funds, state-linked investors, and repeat private equity backers.
The capital will fund development and commercialization of iSpace’s methane-liquid oxygen launch vehicles, expand assembly and testing capacity, and support the company’s “land-based launch, sea-based recovery” approach across multiple industrial hubs in China.
💡iSpace is preparing its Hyperbola-3 rocket for eventual first-stage recovery, following recent fit checks and cryogenic testing of the second stage. The 69-meter vehicle is designed to carry up to 8,500 kg to low Earth orbit in reusable mode. The company also operates Interstellar Return, China’s first rocket recovery ship.
China
China is moving to develop large-scale space-based data centers over the next five years, aiming to bolster advanced AI capabilities, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation announced. The plan calls for gigawatt-class infrastructure in orbit, combining cloud, edge, and terminal technologies to enable integrated computing, storage, and communications beyond Earth. The initiative aligns with China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, which emphasizes AI as a strategic national priority.
💡Early steps toward this vision include Zhejiang Lab’s 2025 launch of 12 low Earth orbit satellites for its ‘Three-Body Computing Constellation,’ a program ultimately targeting 2,800 satellites with 1,000 peta operations per second of computing power.
Japan
Japan plans to test space-based solar power with its OHISAMA demonstration satellite, set to launch in fiscal 2026 aboard Space One’s Kairos 5 rocket. The 180-kg satellite will beam solar-generated electricity from a 450-kilometer orbit to a 64-meter ground antenna at JAXA’s Usuda Deep Space Center, evaluating the conversion of microwaves into usable power and key technologies such as retrodirective beam control and integrated generation-and-transmission panels.
💡The mission builds on decades of Japanese research in space solar power. While the prototype generates 720 watts, the test could inform future scaling to larger orbital arrays capable of supplying significant electricity, with potential applications in disaster response, global energy distribution, and support for lunar exploration.
Japan
Tokyo-based startup ALE has launched its third satellite to develop artificial meteor showers, targeting a demonstration in fiscal 2028. The 100-kg satellite, orbiting around 400 kilometers above Earth, will release one-centimeter metal pellets as “seeds” for the meteors. ALE said improvements to the pellet-release mechanism address failures from two earlier launches in 2019. The event’s timing and viewing locations will be announced later this year.
💡The artificial meteors are expected to move more slowly than natural ones, allowing observation of light emissions to collect data on atmospheric composition and wind speeds at 60–80 km altitudes. ALE sees the project as both an entertainment venture and a scientific platform, with potential commercialization of artificial meteor displays in Japan and internationally by 2029–2030.
**Nothing in this article is intended to be or should be construed as legal or financial advice.**