IHI Corporation (Head Office: Tokyo, President: Hiroshi Ide, “IHI”) has signed a Joint Research Agreement with Inovor Technologies Pty Ltd (“Inovor”; Head Office: Australia, CEO: Matthew Tetlow), an Australian SME (Small and Medium Enterprises) specializing in the development and manufacturing of small satellites, and Meisei Electric Co., Ltd. (“Meisei Electric”; Head Office: Gunma, President: Masanobu Natsuake), part of the IHI Group and a leader in mission instrument development. This agreement aims to jointly demonstrate small satellite technology to reinforce MDA (Maritime Domain Awareness) capabilities for both Australia and Japan.

The signing ceremony was held on October 1, 2025, at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Sydney, Australia ^(*1). Under this agreement, these three companies will collaborate on joint development and technology demonstration of small satellite to support maritime monitoring activities in both countries.

In this project, IHI will be responsible for coordinating with the Australian side and will leverage the engineering capabilities of the IHI Group to advance the project. Inovor will handle project management in Australian, as well as the development and manufacturing of the satellite bus ^(*2), integration of mission equipment (sensors), and satellite testing. Meisei Electric will be responsible for the development and manufacturing of mission equipment (sensors). IHI AEROSPACE CO., LTD. (Head Office: Gunma, President: Fumiharu Namiki) is considering providing launch services for the satellite. Furthermore, Inovor's work on this project will be carried out utilizing funding from the South Australian Government's Economic Recovery Fund.

This collaboration builds on the recent strengthening of bilateral cooperation in defense and space between Japan and Australia. The initiative aims to advance technological capabilities in maritime surveillance, while further deepening ties between the two countries. In line with its management philosophy of "Contribute to the development of society through technology," IHI aims to lead the development of small satellite constellations by leveraging its engineering expertise.
It is intended that the constellation will eventually include various types of satellites - Optical, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), VDES (VDES, next-generation AIS), radio frequency (RF), infrared (IR) and Hyperspectral imaging. The constellation will aim to provide target detection and tracking capabilities essential for operations on land and at sea.

As part of this effort, IHI signed memoranda of understanding with ICEYE Oy, a world leader in SAR satellites based in Finland (May 2025); Surrey Satellite Technology Limited, a UK specialist in earth observation and ISR satellites (September 2025); and Global Satellite Vu Ltd, a UK company developing small satellites equipped with infrared (IR) sensors (September 2025).

These initiatives will contribute not only to Japan’s security, but also to deepening cooperation with Australia and the other allies and like-minded countries.

<About IHI>(https://www.ihi.co.jp/en ）
IHI Corporation traces its origins to Japan’s first modern shipbuilding facility, established in 1853, and has since grown into one of the country’s leading manufacturers. It has expanded its business ever since, in recent years providing wide-ranging solutions in the four main areas of Resource, Energy and Environment; Social Infrastructure; Industrial Systems and General-purpose Machinery; and Aero Engine, Space and Defense. In the field of satellites, IHI AEROSPACE CO., LTD. (https://www.ihi.co.jp/ia/en/index.html ）provides propulsion systems and devices, while Meisei Electric provides sensors for space companies and organizations such as JAXA. IHI has also worked recently to solve its customers’ problems by engaging in business using satellite information and data.

＜About Meisei Electric＞(https://www.meisei.co.jp/english/ )
Founded in 1938, Meisei Electric provides a diverse range of products and systems for meteorological, disaster prevention, and space observation applications. The company has participated in numerous domestic and international space projects and has developed and manufactured over 3,000 components.

＜About Inovor Technologies＞
Established in Adelaide, South Australia in 2012, Inovor Technologies is a trusted provider of satellite solutions, mission services, and advanced space technologies. For the past three years Inovor has designed, developed, manufactured, and operated satellites for the Australian Space Agency, The Government of South Australia and for the Australian Department of Defence. In addition to the satellite being built in partnership with IHI Corporation, Inovor is also part of the OPTUS consortium and the Defence Trailblazer group with two more satellite projects underway.


(*1): IAC (International Astronautical Congress) ( https://www.iac2025.org/ )
The world’s largest space-related conference, which began in 1950, is held every autumn and attended by representatives from space agencies, companies, universities, and other organizations worldwide. This year’s IAC was held at ICC Sydney from September 29 to October 3, 2025.

(*2): Satellite bus: The core structure of a satellite, providing essential functions such as power, communication, and control.


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