TOKYO, November 12. /TASS/. The Japanese industrial conglomerate IHI Corporation plans to launch mass production of dual-use satellites that could be used to monitor critical facilities and transportation routes, the Nikkei newspaper reported.
The company aims to deploy a constellation of 100 such satellites in orbit by 2030. Unlike satellites operated by US company Starlink, which provide communications services, the IHI satellites are designed for monitoring. A constellation of 50 satellites could take images of selected areas on Earth every 30 minutes, with a delay of just one hour. Microwave technology would allow the satellites to identify the types and models of ships, even at night or in cloudy weather, according to the report. IHI has proposed that Japan's Defense Ministry use the planned constellation for its own purposes.
The company has already begun limited production of the satellites but plans to build a new plant by 2029 that will be capable of manufacturing 20 to 30 satellites a year. The satellites are based on technology transferred to IHI by Finnish aerospace company ICEYE.
The Japanese government is supporting companies' efforts to establish domestic satellite production, which Tokyo believes will strengthen the country's ability to protect critical infrastructure. Mitsubishi Electric, Sky Perfect JSAT and Mitsui are jointly developing surveillance satellites, while NEC is developing communications satellites.