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3 clusters · 5 sources · 6 days · First seen · Last updated

US-Japan space surveillance sensor deployment

Overview

The United States and Japan have concluded the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System-Hosted Payload (QZSS-HP) program following the successful deployment of the final satellite in the constellation.

In August 2026, Japan launched the QZSS-7 satellite via an H-3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center. This mission deployed a second U.S. Space Force orbital sensor, developed by MIT Lincoln Laboratory and integrated by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. The deployment of QZSS-7 marks the conclusion of the QZSS-HP program, which represents the first cooperative effort between the two nations focused on national security and orbital infrastructure sharing.

This bilateral security cooperation, established under agreements in 2019 and 2020, utilizes Japanese host satellites and launch systems to field U.S. military payloads. The sensors are positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Indo-Pacific region to provide persistent space domain awareness. Data from these sensors is fed into the U.S. Space Surveillance Network in near real-time to detect, track, and characterize orbital objects. Military officials have noted that integrating these capabilities is a strategic step toward addressing threats from peer adversaries in space.

Entities

Japan · U.S. Space Force · MIT Lincoln Laboratory · Mission Delta 2 · United States

Timeline

  1. 23 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    U.S. and Japan launch satellites to boost Pacific space surveillance

    The U.S. and Japan launched military satellites from the Tanegashima Space Center to strengthen space surveillance and security capabilities within the Indo-Pacific region.

  2. 25 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    Japan launches QZSS-7 satellite with US Space Force sensor

    Japan launched the QZSS-7 satellite, carrying a second US Space Force sensor to enhance space domain awareness and monitoring capabilities over the Indo-Pacific region.

  3. 28 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    U.S. Space Force completes deployment of surveillance sensors via Japan

    The U.S. Space Force has completed the deployment of two surveillance sensors via Japan's H3 rocket, enhancing space domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific through the QZSS-HP program.

Sources

ipaddisti.it · it-boltwise.de · keeptrack.space · spacenews.com · theatrale.nl

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history