At the Embassy of Italy in Berlin, YAMAKAWA Hiroshi, President of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) with Dr. Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), to strengthen and advance cooperation between JAXA and ESA in the field of planetary defence. At the same time, under this MOC, the two agencies signed a cooperation agreement for the RAMSES (Rapid Apophis Mission for SpacE Safety) mission, which targets the near-Earth asteroid Apophis. The event has been hosted by the Italian Embassy in Berlin in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency (ASI), in light of the European Space Agency’s selection of OHB Italia as prime contractor for the mission.

Planetary defence is an international effort to protect the Earth by detecting and characterising near-Earth objects, such as asteroids, at an early stage; accurately determining their orbits to assess potential impact risks; and, if a credible threat is identified, developing and implementing measures to avoid or mitigate potential consequences.

Activities addressing asteroid impact hazards, commonly referred to as “Space guard,” intensified in the 1990s and subsequently evolved into a global initiative. Since the early 2000s, the United Nations has played a central role in advancing international discussions, leading to planetary defence becoming a coordinated global endeavor. The United Nations has designated 2029 as the “International Year of Asteroid Awareness and Planetary Defence.” In Japan, the Implementation Plan of the Basic Plan on Space Policy identifies planetary defence activities. Against this background, JAXA and ESA signed in November 2024, through a Joint Statement on Next Big Cooperations, to accelerate the examination of potential areas of collaboration, including planetary defence. The MOU and the agreement signed on this occasion aim to further strengthen the cooperation between the two agencies.

ESA is currently on track to launch the RAMSES mission in 2028, with the objective of exploring the near-Earth asteroid Apophis, which will make an exceptionally close approach to Earth in 2029. Through detailed investigation of this near-Earth object, the mission seeks to obtain scientific and technical knowledge that will contribute to future planetary defence efforts.

JAXA will contribute to the mission by providing lightweight Solar Array Wing (SAWs) and Thermal Infrared Imager (TIRI), as well as by launching the spacecraft aboard the H3 launch vehicle. Through these contributions, the Apophis exploration will be realized as a joint ESA–JAXA mission. JAXA will continue to work closely with ESA and other international partners and to actively contribute to addressing planetary defence as a shared challenge for all humankind.

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