Pale Blue Inc. (Pale Blue) has signed an individual contract with TOKYO KEIKI INC. (TOKYO KEIKI) and has initiated a collaboration to manufacture and assemble the subsystems of prototype, mass-production model of the company’s propulsion system (subsystems of prototype mass-production model: hardware parts of the prototype mass-production model) as part of Deep Tech Startups (“DTSU”) support program – DMP phase (Demonstration development for Mass Production) by NEDO, a national research and development agency in Japan.
Pale Blue has been granted by NEDO for the DMP phase of its DTSU program in September 2023. Through this program to establish mass-production technology for satellite propulsion systems using water as propellant, the company has identified that the production capacity to mass-produce with stable quality and quick delivery at reasonable cost will be essential for business growth and thus it was in search of collaboration. Several units of the prototype model are to be built based on the manufacturing and assembly procedure, which will then be brought to evaluation of quality, lead-time and cost of production.
TOKYO KEIKI has identified the space business as one of the growth drivers of its long-term vision, “TOKYO KEIKI Vision 2030,” and was planning to expand its space business by completing construction of the Space Building for assembly and testing of satellite equipment at the company’s Nasu Plant in 2023. Pale Blue selected and started a collaboration with Tokyo Keiki, who has experience in manufacturing products and components for space equipment.
Pale Blue is a space-tech startup from the University of Tokyo founded in 2020. The company offers next-generation spacecraft propulsion systems that use water as a safe green propellant. Through its innovative propulsion technologies, Pale Blue aims to develop a space ecosystem where in-space mobility is affordable as well as completely safe and sustainable.