Anchorage AK: Following participation in the 2017 Japan Space Symposium, Alaska Aerospace Corporation (AAC) President and Chief Executive Officer Craig E. Campbell traveled to Hokkaido, Japan with a joint Japanese and American delegation to visit a proposed launch site in the coastal town of Taiki. As part of the itinerary, the delegation toured the headquarters and manufacturing facility of Interstellar Technologies. Interstellar Technologies is a Japanese company developing a launch vehicle to support the nano and micro commercial satellite industry.
“The AAC Board of Directors has strongly advocated diversifying our Company’s business model to include international customers that could benefit from services provided by AAC, as well as to attract a global customer base for the Pacific Spaceport Complex – Alaska (PSCA).” stated Mr. Campbell. This trip, and AAC participation in the 2017 Japan Space Symposium, is a continuation of past exchanges between AAC and Japan, which included last years visit to PSCA by the Honorable Hiroshi Imazu, member of the Japan House of Representatives and Chairman, Space Policy Research Council (LDP), along with a delegation of Japanese officials.
The Hokkaido site visit provided AAC an opportunity to highlight how collaboration between Japan and Alaska could be mutually beneficial in capturing a significant market share of Asian small satellite industry future requirements. “As AAC considers developing equatorial launch capability in the Pacific region to support the Asian demand, having a positive relationship with Japan would provide a distinct advantage for both Japan and Alaska.” stressed Campbell.
The United States delegation included Dr. Scott Pace, Professor at The George Washington University, Elliott School of International Affairs; Mr. Peter Marquez, Vice President Global Engagement for Planetary Resources; and Mr. F. Mike Swiek, President of Mike International LLC.
Concluding the site visit, the delegation met with Hokkaido Prefecture Governor Harumi Takahasi. Participants offered perspectives on ways a small launch facility in Hokkaido could provide the nucleus for aerospace development in the prefecture, as well as how collaboration with the United States and AAC could provide a distinct market advantage for the Asian small satellite launch industry. With the goal of expanding small and ultra-small launch capabilities at PSCA, supporting new entrant launch vehicle companies and developing positive relationships with international agencies provides AAC with enhanced potential for additional revenues and increased economic benefits for Alaska.
AAC is a state-owned corporation headquartered in Anchorage, AK, with an office in Huntsville, AL. AAC operates PSCA, located on Kodiak Island, offering all indoor, all weather processing, and providing optimal support for both orbital and sub-orbital space launches to low earth orbit, sun-synchronous orbit, polar orbit, and highly elliptical orbits. AAC currently has contracts for government and commercial launches starting in 2017.