Space Tracking and Communications Center, JAXA

The Space Tracking and Communications Center is one of JAXA's ground stations, part of the tracking and communications network that keeps Japan's space agency in contact with its satellites and spacecraft.

About the JAXA Space Tracking and Communications Center

Operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the center is one of nine such stations across Japan that together operate 15 parabolic antennas, providing around-the-clock coverage. JAXA's tracking network is designed so a satellite is always within reach of at least one ground station as it passes overhead.

Telescopes & research

The center's main work is satellite tracking and two-way communication: receiving telemetry data from spacecraft, sending commands, and tracking space debris to help plan collision-avoidance manoeuvres for active satellites. This makes it part of the operational backbone of Japan's space programme rather than a site for optical or radio astronomy in the traditional sense.

Location & getting there

The station sits in Japan, within JAXA's national network of ground facilities. As an operational tracking site rather than a visitor attraction, it does not have the kind of public access typical of an astronomy-focused observatory.

Visiting the center

JAXA facilities are generally not open for casual public visits, and this tracking center is no exception; anyone interested should check the agency's official website for current outreach information.

See your named star from here

You won't be able to point this facility's antennas at a star, but the same coordinates that guide spacecraft tracking are what pinpoint a star named through Star Register. Explore our star-naming packages or browse the catalogue.