Tsukuba Space Center

As JAXA's center for the latest research and development in space, Tsukuba Space Center offers tours of its facility for a better understanding of its work from the past, in the present, and for the future. The exhibition space is divided into rocket, satellite, and space-utilization sections. There are full-scale test models.
For more information about this field center, please click here.

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October 18, 2011 Updated

JFY 2011 TKSC open-house event successfully completed

On Oct. 15 (Sat.), JAXA held a special open-house event at the Tsukuba Space Center under the catch phrase of "Come to Tsukuba! The place where you can be connected to space." Despite unpleasant weather with strong wind and torrential rain, we had 6,924 visitors. The event was enriched with lectures by JAXA employees including Astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and Mr. Keizo Nakagawa,the SHIZUKU project manager. SHIZUKU, or the Global Change Observation Mission 1st- Water, will we launched within this fiscal year. The lectures were followed by an active question and answer session which continued longer than we had expected. It was unfortunate that we were forced to cancel some of the prepared events due to bad weather such as a "treasure hunting game" using satellites including the first quasi-zenith satellite "MICHIBIKI" for the first time, and the plastic-bottle rocket launch. Still, visitors enjoyed looking at some facilities that are usually off limits such as an experiment room for robots. We believe that we were able to introduce our research and development activities to people who love space and to children who may become researchers in the future.
Thank you very much for joining our event. The next special open house is scheduled for April 21 (Sat.), 2012. We hope to see you all again.

Services

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* No reservations are required for the TKSC exhibition hall.
* Reservations are required for the guided tour.
* The Exhibition Hall and the guided tour are free of charge.
  • Free parking lot for 50 cars
  • Wheel chairs and strollers can enter the exhibition hall. Rental wheel chairs are available (free of charge, but the number of rental wheel chairs is limited.)
  • No pets are allowed to enter the hall.

H-II Launch Vehicle

You can see an actual H-II Launch Vehicle (real flight model) when you go through the main gate. Please feel the dynamism of a real launch vehicle that is 50 meters in length.


Exhibition Hall "Space Dome"

* Neither prior application nor reservations are required for the Exhibition Hall. Please come and enjoy the exhibition freely anytime during the open hours.
* Please call the tour center (029-868-2023 within Japan or +81-3-29-868-2023 from overseas) beforehand, if your tour group consists of 10 or more people, or if your group charters a bus to come to the TKSC.
  • Open: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily
  • Closed: facility check-up days, and between December 29 thru January 3 (Please note that we may also close the lounge other than the above days due to some special reasons.)

The Exhibition Hall shows visitors the current status and advancement of Japan's space development along with JAXA's development. For more details about the hall, please click here.

Lounge "Planet Cube"

  • Open: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily
  • Closed: facility check-up days, and between December 29 thru January 3 (Please note that we may also close the lounge other than the above days due to some special reasons.)

Planet Cube is adjacent to the Space Dome and dispatches updated space information and topics in a timely manner. Also, various events are being held there.

Space Shop

  • Contact: 029-850-1718 (or +81-29-850-1718 from overseas)

We sell JAXA and space-related goods. "Space Curry," "Freeze-dried cake," and "Freeze-dried ice cream" are popular items. Please stop by our shop when you visit the TKSC.

General Guided Tours

* Please make an advanced booking.
* Those who made a reservation for a tour are requested to submit the tour application issued by the tour center and a name list of tour participants within one week after making your reservation.

[Astronauts Course]

  • The tour is available weekday except when a special event is held, during New Year holidays (between Dec. 29 thru Jan.3), facility inspection days, and Mondays. (We offer the tour on Mondays during the summer vacation period.)
  • Tours start at 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 pm., 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. daily.
  • A tour takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes
  • For bookings, please call: 029-868-2023 (+81-29-868-2023 from overseas)

After showing an introductory video of the TKSC, a guide will show you the Space Dome and astronaut training area.
For more details, please look at the "Tours" page


[Space Station Course]

* Please make an advanced booking.
  • Tour for a group (10 or more participants): Please submit a tour application issued by the tour center and a list of participants (names, addresses, and telephone numbers.) within a week after making your reservation.
  • Individual participation: We will ask a name, address and telephone number of a person who makes the reservations (or a representative of the participants.) Those who will come with them on the tour day will be requested to fill in an application form.
* All tour participants are required to show ID on the tour day. (We do not confirm IDs of participants to other tour courses.)

  • The tour is available weekday except when a special event is held, during New Year holidays (between Dec. 29 thru Jan.3), facility inspection days, and Mondays. (We offer the tour on Mondays during the summer vacation period. The tour may be suspended due to operation and mission reasons. Please contact us beforehand to make sure of availability.)
  • The tour is held twice a day (from two o'clock and from three o'clock in the afternoon.)
  • A tour takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes
  • For bookings, please call: 029-868-2023 (+81-29-868-2023 from overseas)

After showing an introductory video of the TNSC, a guide will take you to the Space Dome and the Kibo's operation and control room.
The Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo," which is installed on the International Space Station and is under 24-hour, 7-day a week operation and control and thus you can observe the operation in real time on this tour.
The operation and control room is categorized as a higher security area than other tour facilities; thus we will require you to show us your ID on tour day. For more details, please call the tour center (029-868-2023 within Japan or +81-3-29-868-2023 from overseas.)
Please note that this tour may be suspended due to Kibo’s mission schedule and other reasons. Please make a reservation before you come to the TNSC.
For more details, please look at the "Tours" page


[Launch Vehicle Course]

* Those who made a reservation for a tour are requested to submit the tour application issued by the tour center and a name list of tour participants within one week after making your reservation.
  • The tour is available on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays (except event days, during New Year holidays (between Dec. 29 thru Jan. 3) and facility inspection days.)
  • Tours start at 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 pm., 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. daily.
  • A tour takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes
  • For bookings, please call: 029-868-2023 (+81-29-868-2023 from overseas)

After showing an introductory video of the TKSC, a guide will show you the Space Dome and take you to the launch vehicle acoustic experience.
For more details, please look at the "Tours" page

Location:

2-1-1 Sengen, Tsukuba-shi,
Ibaraki 305-8505

For exhibition and tour information:

Phone +81-29-868-2023
Fax +81-29-868-2851
Access

For inquiries regarding PR activities at the Tsukuba Space Center

Phone +81-50-3362-6265
Fax +81-29-868-5966
Please feel free to contact the Public Affairs Department at the Tsukuba Space Center for interview, PR activities, special events, and lectures by JAXA employees at the center.

Open to the Public

Special exhibitions are held during Science and Technology Week in April and on Space Day in October.