Enters IHI, the satellite business.

IHI to enter the satellite business by around the year 2015 . We developed a nano-satellite high-performance use in resource exploration and management of crop growth , the domestic small rocket launch in the " epsilon " . Is suppressed to less than 1 billion yen of about one fifth of the price of conventional satellite launch costs included , to spread to domestic and foreign companies use a satellite country was the center . It also expected demand in emerging countries in disaster prevention such as typhoons observation , it's likely to lead to increased competitiveness of the satellite business of Japan .The observed weight is 50-100 kg satellite to develop and become the size of the cardboard box around . I enter the operating activities prototyping and also the beginning of the year . Compared large satellite that is used for broadcasting and communication and weather observation small-and medium-sized satellites and ( weight 2 tons class ) to ( same one ton class) , to narrow the field of specific customers , such as imaging seek function to be mounted .Market size of space equipment industry in Japan about 260 billion yen currently . In government-related , more than 90% has not progressed the development of the private sector compared to such as European manufacturers . Large satellite , compared to 10 billion yen more than just the body , it requires only about 500 million yen if ultra-small . Enterprise customers can take advantage of the business at a low cost big large amount of data obtained by satellite observation .There is a launch capacity of 1.2 tons is epsilon (JAXA) was developed by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency , IHI manufactures. Through the launch together with epsilon of one machine by about 10 orders based on the satellite , the company also reduce launch costs per company customers .Equipped with a planetary observation satellite small , ε the first aircraft that was launched in September was 5.3 billion yen cost launch . Plans to 3.8 billion yen in Unit 2 , to 3 billion yen or less in '17 after going into mass production . It is expected that the total cost of the combined cost to launch a satellite that client companies to bear will be 800 million to 900 million yen or so. Seen about 5 billion yen now to take even with the small rocket overseas low price .Last year , IHI acquired a strong Meisei Electric such as satellite for the camera . The company has a technology for miniaturization while meeting strict conditions such as temperature or vibration devices to be mounted on a satellite . And to be able to shoot one square meter of space of 500 km over the satellite to develop , and to have the performance of world-class ultra-small satellite . Can be confirmed until the shape of the car , you can also understand traffic conditions .Can also measure the temperature of the earth's surface if Nosere the sensor instead of the observation camera . It is also possible to grab the status of nutrients in the soil and grow condition of crops , or to use in resource exploration in undeveloped regions such as Africa . I also capture the demand for ultra-small satellites from emerging countries such as monitoring for the vast forest and observation of typhoon and tsunami .Themselves also launch a satellite , to gather information, such as observation traffic conditions and weather , IHI to sell to such software companies as big data . Sales of the company's space business is about ¥ 50 billion currently . Future , I raise 800 billion yen through the data , such as business and sales of satellite .Growth of over 10% per annum , followed by about 13 trillion yen market size of space industry in the world according to the Cabinet Office . Western bias is strong and Lockheed Martin and the European Airbus group in the satellite . Large satellite , NEC is good at small satellite is Mitsubishi Electric in Japan company , I'm in a hurry to expand business to leverage the technical capabilities .It makes it easier to take advantage by cost decreases as the companies to use . And that you build up a satellite of its own to obtain information specific to companies Could it be will lead to cost reduction . I want you to go to expand the business bigger and overseas and domestic private demand .


　ＩＨＩは2015年度をめどに人工衛星事業に参入する。農作物の生育管理や資源探査に使う高性能の超小型衛星を開発し、国産小型ロケット「イプシロン」で打ち上げる。打ち上げ費用込みの衛星の価格を従来の５分の１程度の10億円以下に抑え、国が中心だった衛星利用を国内外の企業に広げる。台風観測など防災関連で新興国の需要も見込め、日本の衛星ビジネスの競争力向上につながりそうだ。
開発する衛星は重量が50～100キログラムで、段ボール箱程度の大きさになるとみられる。年明けにも試作と営業活動に入る。気象観測や放送・通信に使う大型衛星（重量２トン級）や中小型衛星（同１トン級）に比べ、搭載する機能を画像撮影など顧客が求める特定の分野に絞り込む。
　国内の宇宙機器産業の市場規模は現在2600億円程度。９割以上が政府関連で、欧州メーカーなどに比べ民需の開拓が進んでいない。大型衛星が本体だけで100億円以上するのに対し、超小型なら５億円程度で済む。顧客企業は衛星観測で得られる大量のビッグデータを安価にビジネスに活用できる。
　宇宙航空研究開発機構（ＪＡＸＡ）が開発し、ＩＨＩが製造するイプシロンは1.2トンの打ち上げ能力がある。同社は衛星を10基ほど受注して１機のイプシロンでまとめて打ち上げることで、顧客１社あたりの打ち上げ費用も引き下げる。
　９月に打ち上げたイプシロン初号機は小型の惑星観測衛星を搭載し、打ち上げ費用は53億円だった。２号機では38億円にし、量産に入る17年以降は30億円以下にする計画。顧客企業が負担する衛星と打ち上げ費用を合わせた総費用は８億～９億円程度になる見通しだ。低価格の海外の小型ロケットを使っても現在50億円程度はかかるとみられる。
　ＩＨＩは昨年、人工衛星向けカメラなどに強い明星電気を買収。同社は衛星に搭載する機器を温度や振動など厳しい条件を満たしながら小型化する技術を持つ。開発する衛星では上空500キロの宇宙空間から１メートル四方を撮影できるようにし、超小型衛星で世界最高水準の性能を持たせる。自動車の形まで確認でき、渋滞状況も把握できる。
　観測カメラの代わりにセンサーを載せれば地表の温度の測定も可能。作物の育ち具合や土の中の養分の状況をつかんだり、アフリカなど未開発地域で資源探査に利用したりすることもできる。津波や台風の観測や広大な森林の監視向けなどで新興国からの超小型衛星の需要も取り込む。
　ＩＨＩは自らも衛星を打ち上げ、気象や交通状況などの観測情報を集め、ビッグデータとしてソフト会社などに販売する。同社の宇宙事業の売上高は現在約500億円。今後、衛星の販売やデータ事業などを通し800億円規模に引き上げる。
　内閣府によると世界の宇宙産業の市場規模は約13兆円で年率10％超の成長が続く。衛星では欧州エアバスグループや米ロッキード・マーチンなどが欧米勢が強い。国内企業では三菱電機が大型衛星、ＮＥＣが小型衛星を得意としており、技術力をテコに事業拡大を急いでいる。
　利用する企業側としては経費が下がることによって活用しやすくなりますね。そして企業に特化した情報を得るための独自の衛星を作り上げていくことも経費削減につながっていくのかもしれませんね。国内の民需と海外へとビジネスを大きく展開して行ってほしいですね。