History

In the United States, the rise of private space enterprises—often referred to as “New Space”—was gaining momentum, particularly on the West Coast, with companies like SpaceX leading the way. Meanwhile, in Japan, space was still widely perceived as a government-led field focused on research and development, and space startups remained largely unknown to the general public. Amid this backdrop, the SPACETIDE Planning Committee, in collaboration with the Cabinet Office’s Space Policy Office (at the time), launched Japan’s first commercial space business conference to help shape and expand the emerging space business landscape. Despite being the inaugural event, it attracted 500 participants and marked a turning point for Japan’s space industry.

As Elon Musk unveiled his vision for human settlement on Mars and Jeff Bezos presented his own concept for a spacefaring civilization, a new wave of space business began to spread rapidly across the globe in response to these two influential figures. In Japan, progress was made in developing legal frameworks to facilitate private-sector space activities, including the enactment of two key space laws. Amid these developments, the decision was made to continue SPACETIDE as an independent, privately led initiative for the future—leading to the establishment of the SPACETIDE Foundation.

Under the first Trump administration, the United States announced the Artemis Program, while China declared its ambition to become a leading space power by 2045—marking the beginning of the current U.S.–China space rivalry. In Japan, the government released the "Space Industry Vision 2030," drawing increased attention to space startups. Against this backdrop, SPACETIDE held its second conference, SPACETIDE 2017, independently under the theme of "Connection." Centered around Japan, the event brought together a variety of players to foster a growing community for future dialogue and co-creation.

As new space agencies were being established around the world, the global wave of space expansion began to accelerate. In Japan, not only did the number of space startups grow, but major corporations also began launching new joint ventures and increasing their entry into the space sector. SPACETIDE introduced its first sponsorship program and, reflecting feedback from those sponsors, published the inaugural edition of its space business research report, COMPASS. This marked the beginning of SPACETIDE’s expansion beyond conferences, with the goal of shaping trends in the space industry.

In 2019, the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing was commemorated with events held around the world. In the commercial space sector, tangible services began to take shape, including space tourism, satellite communications, and satellite data platforms. Amidst these developments, SPACETIDE adopted the theme “From Vision to Reality” and hosted both SPACETIDE 2019 and a year-end event. That year also marked the beginning of SPACETIDE’s expansion beyond Japan into the Asia-Pacific region. In partnership with JAXA, SPACETIDE launched the first Space Industry Workshop at the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF).

At the beginning of 2020, the global outbreak of COVID-19 drastically changed how people interact—face-to-face meetings became nearly impossible. Amid this reality, SPACETIDE was forced to make the difficult decision to postpone its main summer conference. As corporate activities were restricted and slowed across sectors, the space industry pushed forward with resilience and determination. Notably, SpaceX successfully transported astronauts to the International Space Station. Under the theme “Continued Momentum,” SPACETIDE held its YEAR-END event in a hybrid format, underscoring the industry’s unwavering drive even in challenging times.

While the COVID-19 pandemic continued globally, the space industry maintained its forward momentum. Commercial space tourism began in earnest, and space startups started going public—paving the way for greater public awareness and interest in the space business. In Japan, the country became the fourth in the world to pass a space resources law in June, and later in the year, entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa’s stay on the International Space Station drew major attention. SPACETIDE also launched Space-Enabled World, a new cross-industry program designed to expand the reach of the space sector by connecting it with user industries.

Amid the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the year saw a sharp increase in space-related services for national security, particularly as commercial satellite imagery and satellite communications were actively used in the conflict. Meanwhile, global rocket launches reached an all-time high, driven largely by activity in the United States and China. In response to these evolving dynamics, SPACETIDE organized SPACETIDE 2022 to explore the new value being created by space business. Additionally, SPACETIDE launched AXELA, Japan’s first startup support program dedicated to the space sector.

In 2023, the global space economy saw significant expansion. SpaceX alone launched 98 rockets, rapidly scaling its Starlink satellite internet service worldwide. A wave of lunar exploration efforts also took place, led by both government and private players from Japan, the U.S., and India. In Japan, the public listing of multiple space startups drew renewed attention to the growth potential of the space industry. In response to this momentum, SPACETIDE not only held its flagship conference but also launched Career Connect, Japan’s largest career event dedicated to the space sector. Additionally, SPACETIDE’s growing regional engagement was recognized with its official admission to the International Astronautical Federation (IAF).

In April, the World Economic Forum (WEF) published its first report on the space economy, projecting the sector to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035—sparking significant global interest. Following India’s successful lunar landing in 2023, China achieved the world’s first sample return mission from the far side of the Moon, and Japan succeeded in its own uncrewed lunar landing. With these milestones, Asia’s presence in space exploration continued to rise.
Meanwhile, Japan launched its 10-year, 1-trillion-yen Space Strategy Fund, drawing international attention. SPACETIDE 2024 welcomed a record 1,400 participants from 35 countries and regions, underscoring the growing global interest in Japan’s space ecosystem.