Opening the door to the expansion of the habitable zone on the Moon and planets, and the development of habitats and living areas.

Ritsumeikan University (Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto; President: Yoshio Nakatani) will establish on July 1, 2023 the "Ritsumeikan University Earth & Space Exploration Center (ESEC)," Japan's first research organization dedicated to expanding the human sphere of existence on the Moon and planets, and building space development and infrastructure that will serve as a base for exploration ahead of future habitation and living space construction. The Earth & Space Exploration Center (ESEC) will be the first research organization of its kind in Japan. Prior to the establishment, a press conference was held on June 29.

Aiming to establish a sphere of human existence - Japan's first research organization focusing on the exploration and development phases

More than 25 researchers from Ritsumeikan University, including Director Kazuto Saiki, Professor of Ritsumeikan University's Research Organization for Science and Technology, and other researchers specializing in various fields related to exploration and base development, gathered at the center with the shared vision of "contributing to the maintenance and expansion of the human sphere of existence.

If we define discovery-based exploration as the first phase, exploration base development as the second phase, and future urban development in space as the third phase, this is the first research organization in Japan to focus on the second phase, which is to open up the field of space development for the creation of a human sphere of existence. ESEC's mission is to establish its own exploration and development base in a previously unexplored area and to bring cutting-edge observation data.

Social Significance of ESEC──Reviewing and coordinating diverse and advanced space research from the perspective of lunar and planetary exploration

To lead the field of lunar and planetary exploration and utilization research as the only center of its kind among Japanese universities.

We will approach the expansion of the human sphere of existence from both the space and Earth perspectives.

We will collaborate as a partner with research institutions and companies with frontier spirits at home and abroad.

We will position the Moon and Mars as our main fields, and challenge the "creation of space resources science. Specifically, the center will develop and operate onboard equipment for JAXA's Small Lunar Module (SLIM) project and the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX) to investigate the existence and availability of water resources in the lunar polar regions, and promote research on lunar and planetary surveying, geological and geological survey techniques, and lunar base construction. We will also promote research on lunar and planetary surveying, geological and geotechnical survey technologies and lunar base construction. The center also aims to become one of Japan's leading centers for field exploration on Earth, which will serve as the foundation for future space exploration. In these activities, we will promote the creation of innovations and social implementation in the field of lunar and planetary exploration in collaboration with various companies that are challenging the frontier.

(From left to right) Professor Kobayashi, President Nakatani, and Director Saeki

Director Kazuto Saeki comments

Now, for the first time in human history, economic activities are about to expand into space. The first space resource is ice frozen in the polar regions of the Moon. The ice resources, which will be used as rocket fuel, will be the blood of the solar system's economy, just like petroleum on Earth. On the other hand, because human history on Earth is much shorter than the turbulent history of the Earth, we are destined to constantly face natural disasters and environmental changes unprecedented in human history.

ESEC will be an elite group that finds resources with a new sense of value in the new world of the moon, Mars, and the "unknown future Earth," builds bases in the rugged natural environment, explores, and builds sustainable spheres of existence, opening a bright future for humankind.