917
Objects launched
377
Payloads
Most recent objects
GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org)| Object | Launched | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| FSI-SAT2 | 2026 Apr 23 | Payload | Operating |
| KOSEN-2R | 2026 Apr 23 | Payload | Operating |
| PRELUDE | 2026 Apr 23 | Payload | Operating |
| OrigamiSat-2 | 2026 Apr 23 | Payload | Operating |
| ARICA-2 | 2026 Apr 23 | Payload | Operating |
| WASEDA-SAT-ZERO-II | 2026 Apr 23 | Payload | Operating |
| MAGNARO-II A | 2026 Apr 23 | Payload | Operating |
| Mono-Nikko | 2026 Apr 23 | Payload | Operating |
| AE1a | 2026 Mar 30 | Payload | Operating |
| StriX-6 | 2026 Mar 20 | Payload | Operating |
Objects by decade
GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org)1970s55
1980s101
1990s85
2000s179
2010s348
2020s149
Source: GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Space objects launched | 917 objectsGCAT [2026] |
| First space object | OhsumiGCAT [2026] |
| First launch (year) | 1,970GCAT [2026] |
| Most recent launch (year) | 2,026GCAT [2026] |
| Active satellites | 132Celestrak SATCAT [2026] |
| Total tracked objects | 907Celestrak SATCAT [2026] |
- 1966-
- 1970 - initiated satellite launch vehicle (SLV) program and launched first domestically produced satellite (OHSUMI)
- 1985 - launched two Halley’s Comet observation satellites (Japan’s first missions beyond Earth’s orbit)
- 1992 - first astronaut in space on US Space Shuttle
- 1998 - launched its first Mars orbiter (failed to enter orbit)
- 2003 - launched world’s first uncrewed spacecraft (Hayabusa 1) to return with a sample from an asteroid (2010)
- 2007 - launched Lunar orbiter (Kaguya) mission
- 2010 - launched Venus orbiter (Akatsuki) mission
- 2014 - launched asteroid probe with lander/rover (Hayabusa 2); first Japanese International Space Station commander
- 2018 - launched joint Japan-ESA probe to Mercury (BepiColombo); began operation of a navigational/positioning satellite constellation (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System, QZSS)
- 2019 - began participating in US-led lunar orbital station and Moon exploration programs
- 2024 - soft-landed unmanned spacecraft (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon or SLIM) on the Moon; conducted first successful test launch of domestically produced H3 medium-lift SLV
Source: CIA World Factbook (Historical Archive — final edition) · CC0 · Edition 2026-05
