Message from the Director General April 2015 Saku Tsuneta Director General Institute of Space and Astronautical Science Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency While the Institute of Space and Astronautical operation of the magnetosphere observation satellite Science (ISAS) is a part of the Japan Aerospace “Akebono” launched in 1989, was terminated due to Exploration Agency, at the same time, it has been deterioration of the instruments and a lowered flight operated as the Inter-University Research System altitude. “Akebono”, carried out observation activities (Institute) (*1). This makes ISAS a unique research of aurora and the Van Allen radiation belt for 26 institute. ISAS, being a research hub for research- years, and resulted in 311 refereed paper and 254 ers around the nation, has realized missions that theses (36 of them are doctoral thesis). cannot be accomplished by an individual university or institute. Under close collaboration with research- ISAS currently operates 7 satellites and probes, ers in space science and space engineering, ISAS including “Hayabusa 2”, (*2) PROCYON, “Hisaki”, has proposed and executed a series of ambitious “Akatsuki”, “Hinode”, “Suzaku”, and “GEOTAIL”. Of projects, including the “Hayabusa” mission. ISAS has these, over 700 refereed papers involving the X- been taking a major role in space science research ray astronomy satellite “SUZAKU” and over 900 (*3) alongside NASA and ESA. refereed papers involving the solar physics satellite “HINODE” have been published. ISAS has played a Research activities at ISAS in 2014 were numer- significant role in the international scientific commu- ous. The first article regarding “Hisaki” (the satellite nity. For other examples, the far infrared all sky im- launched by the first Epsilon rocket in September age data provided by the infrared astronomical satel- 2013) appeared in the journal “Science”. Also notable lite “Akari“ (operation completed in November 2011) was the successful launch of “Hayabusa 2” and a was released. The recovery effort for the Venus cli- very small probe PROCYON by the H-IIA rocket at mate orbiter “Akatsuki” is undergoing. The successful the end of 2014. In the current plan, “Hayabusa 2” inserting into the Venus orbit is expected after the will reach the asteroid 1999JU3 to collect samples first attempt at the end of 2010, was unsccessful. and return to Earth in 2020, the year of the Tokyo Olympics. PROCYON is developed mainly by the ISAS has made impressive achievements across a University of Tokyo in cooperation with JAXA. wide variety of research fields using sounding rockets This unique ISAS structure made the short term and scientific balloons, the development of a reusable development possible. PROCYON has several mission rocket, and various experiments utilizing the space objectives including demonstration of technologies environment of the International Space Station. such as a 50kg-class spacecraft bus, high-efficiency Through collaboration with the Graduate University communication amplifier, and precise VLBI naviga- for Advanced Studies and the University of Tokyo, tion as well as imaging of the geocorona. This world’ future researchers are nurtured by receiving their s first deep-space exploration micro spacecraft is graduate school education in the direct development drawing international attention. Meanwhile, the of space experiment. Also, outstanding early-career (*1) Inter-University Research System is a mechanism to allow researchers affiliated with universities and ISAS to jointly and seamlessly conduct various leading-edge collaborative researches. ISAS plays a role of the national research hub for space science. (*2) Jointly conducted with JSPEC (JAXA’s Space Exploration Center) until March 2015 (*3) Based on Thomson Reuters “Web of Science” database researchers have made remarkable achievements Based on this policy, since assuming the post in cooperation with ISAS researchers and graduate of ISAS Director General, in cooperation with the students through the JAXA International Top Young Management and Integration Department that Fellowship. has flexibility and solution proposal capabilities, I have pursued internal reforms such as reducing In addition to these activities, the following operational costs to promote new activities, clarifying projects have commenced: the development of an the decision making mechanism, appointing younger X-ray astronomy satellite (ASTRO-H), a geospace generation people to high positions, activating per- exploration satellite (ERG), and a Mercury explora- sonnel of the academic staff, and enhancing scientific tion satellite Bepi-Colombo; the promotion of the public relations. We also continue to investigate and enhanced Epsilon rocket project in cooperation analyze the academic achievement at ISAS. The with Space Technology Directorate I (the former age distribution and promotion scheme indicate that Space Transportation Mission Directorate); and the ISAS has an aging academic staff with low mobility. development of the new deep space antenna in This requires serious effort to amend. Needless to Usuda in cooperation with the Space Tracking and say, appropriate personnel assignment of academic Communications Center (the former Space Tracking staff is vital in revitalizing the research institute. In and Data Acquisition Department), JAXA. The new JFY 2014, a number of new personnel management deep space antenna is to replace the aging current practices were adopted. The direction of ISAS and antenna and to undertake deep space communica- the necessary human resources for future new tions for the next several decades. ASTRO-H has projects are indicated in the Space Science Roadmap a Soft X-ray Spectrometer that has a very high reported to the Space Science and Exploration Pannel energy-resolution, and astronomers across the world of the Space Policy Commission under the cabinet have high hopes for its achievements. ERG, a small office. Based on these indications, we are to consider science satellite following “Hisaki”, is mounted with personnel management carefully with a long-term a newly developed “plasma wave particle interaction view point. analyzer system”. It is expected to elucidate “rela- tivistic particle acceleration” in radiation belts and to A team of experts in JAXA have analyzed the contribute to space weather forecasting based on the challenges ISAS is facing and summarized the im- findings. Bepi Colombo is planned to be launched in provement proposal in “Taskforce Proposal regarding (Japanese Fiscal Year (JFY)) 2016 and is scheduled Improvement in Executing Space Science Program”. to enter Mercury orbit in JFY 2024. Very significant (December 2012). Based on the proposal, ISAS has results are expected for Bepi Colombo as it is going created an action plan. 90 staff have participated in to conduct the first observations of Mercury’s mag- town meetings held twice to share and discuss the netosphere and surface. The consecutive launches issues. I believe that our performance will improve from ASTRO-H in JFY 2015 to Bepi Colombo by ESA as internal and external project members creatively will require a lot of energy and focus. adapt the action plan. The skeleton of the Action Plan is as follows; As described, ISAS has vigorously conducted many research activities, but we should not assume 1. In order to soundly accomplish the challenging that in future all will go smoothly. There have been mission with limited resources, return to the failures in our history. LUNAR-A and ASTRO-G were basics. Make a systematic effort to manage target driven to termination. “Nozomi” (Mars) and “Akatsu- specifications which projects should pursue, ki” (Venus) have not been inserted into their planned estimate the expendable cost and schedule. planetary orbits. The cause was considered as a 2. Manage projects with focus on “certainty”, “ten- malfunction in the propelling system and electrical ability”, and “minimization of risk”. As for the system, but the development difficulty was not high. technically challenging part, apply a step by step Also, the recent missions that are under development approach for specification determination. experience increases in cost and delays in schedule. 3. Appoint a project manager who has a high project The lesson is that approaches that may well have management capability. The appointed project worked to date still have room for improvement. manager is not always an ISAS researcher. Appro- This means that ISAS is capable of achieving break- priately allocate the responsibility for one project throughs by solving issues and reforming itself. manager. 4. Form the management team centering on the highly effective because it brings the world’s best project manager, Practice high quality manage- technology, highly-skilled human resources, and the ment by sharing and cooperating in the project. budget together to jointly develop one satellite. We 5. Communicate closely with the science community are to continue enhancing international cooperation by placing scientifically excellent personnel on the with overseas space agencies to deploy post ASTRO- team. H international missions. Especially, from the last 6. Secure opportunities for young researchers in fiscal year our focus has been on the next-generation order to nurture the next generation leaders. infrared astronomical satellite, SPICA which is a 7. Clarify the evaluation axis to properly evaluate the center of attention by astronomers across the world. academic research staff that concentrates on the By