Kyoto University

Kyoto University was founded in 1897 as Japan's second Imperial University and is consistently ranked among the world's top research universities. The Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics within the Graduate School of Engineering has been at the forefront of Japanese university space activities for decades, developing novel propulsion concepts and small satellite technology.

Kyoto University's satellite program began with KUKAI — a 1U CubeSat carrying two payloads — launched in January 2009. The team is best known for the STARS (Space Tethered Autonomous Robotic Satellite) series, developed in collaboration with Shizuoka University: STARS-II in 2014 demonstrated tether deployment in orbit, while STARS-C (2016) extended the programme with a second-generation tethered system. These missions are part of research into space tether propulsion — a potentially revolutionary approach to reducing launch costs and enabling orbital transfer without propellant.

In December 2014, Kyoto University contributed the DESPATCH (Deep Space Amateur Troubadour's Challenge) payload, launched on Japan's Hayabusa-2 complementary mission aboard PROCYON, making it one of the few university-led deep space payloads ever launched. Kyoto University maintains strong links with JAXA and is a partner in multiple lunar and planetary science missions.