JAXA’s Tsukuba Space Center (TKSC), located in Tsukuba Science City, opened its doors in 1972. The TKSC, which sits on a 530,000 square-meter site, with beautiful natural surroundings, is a consolidated operations facility with world-class equipment and testing facilities.
As the center of Japan’s space network, the TKSC plays an important role in the research and development of spacecraft, such as satellites and rockets, and also controls and tracks launched satellites. As part of the International Space Station project, the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) "KIBO" is developed and tested at TKSC. Astronaut training is also in progress at the center.
The Space Transportation Mission Directorate, the Satellite Applications Mission Directorate I, the Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate, and part of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science are located at the TKSC which implement latest research, development, and testing in the space field. It is a pivotal center for Japanese space development.