NEWS

On April 21, 2025, U.S. time, our space-based crystal growth service Kirara, which means ‘shiny’ in Japanese, will launch its sixth mission aboard a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft en route to the International Space Station (ISS).

● For Research Purposes
This mission brings together participants from both Japan and international research institutions and companies. In Japan, TANAKA MIRAI Lab. of TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL GROUP Co., Ltd. will demonstrate its proprietary crystallization technologies in space.
From overseas, the HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences (Hungary), under the coordination of Hungarian to Orbit, HUNOR—the national body overseeing space programs—will conduct space experiments for the first time.
Returning for a third mission, the Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI) will send new samples to further validate findings obtained during the previous Kirara flight.
From academia, Nagoya City University (Japan) will also participate continuously, contributing to the growing body of space-based research utilizing Kirara.
Kirara continues to evolve as a model for next-generation space-based manufacturing, providing access to the unique advantages of microgravity for cutting-edge scientific and industrial applications.

●Participation via the Kirara Share Service
The upcoming Kirara mission will not only support scientific research but also foster educational and cultural initiatives that bridge space and society.
First, Tanaka Sangyo Co., Ltd. (Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture) will launch rice seeds into space. This follows their previous participation in the Kirara#4 mission, during which seeds of the renowned Niigata-grown "Koshihikari" rice were sent to the International Space Station (ISS). This time, seeds of another premium Niigata rice brand, Shinnosuke, will be launched. After returning to Earth, the seeds will be planted by students at Higashihoncho Elementary School in Joetsu, continuing a unique initiative that connects space, regional agriculture, and future generations.
In addition, the HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences (Hungary) will send a cultural contribution alongside their scientific experiment: two musical pieces inspired by the theme of crystallization in microgravity. These works will be stored as audio data on an SD card and launched to the ISS.
The featured recordings include:
1) "Crystallization in Microgravity: From Hungary to the ISS"
• Performers: Ágnes Szelcsányi (Piano), Luis Luque Álvarez (Violin & Composer)
• Recorded in Budapest, Hungary
2) "Hungarian National Anthem"
• Composer: Ferenc Erkel
• Performers: Éva Tóth and Zselyke Bernhardt (Violin, age 11), Luis Luque Álvarez (Violin Teacher)
• Recorded at: Nagymarosi Kittenberger Kálmán Elementary and Art School, Nagymaros, Hungary

Continuing from the previous mission, this flight will also carry message data collected through the Kirara campaign "Send Your Message to Space." These messages have been saved onto an SD card and will be launched aboard the ISS.
The campaign was held as a special initiative by our company during the 30th Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF-30) in November 2024. Participants included space agencies and professionals from across Asia, including Japan, who submitted messages they wished to "send to space."
By delivering these voices beyond Earth, the campaign aims to celebrate and support the growing momentum of the space industry across the Asia-Pacific region.

Through these diverse initiatives, the Kirara platform continues to expand its role—not only in science and technology, but also in education, the arts, and regional engagement.


●Space Education Mission in Japan
As space education missions, JAMSS and NIPPON TRAVEL AGENCY CO., LTD. jointly host the "Space Science Lab - Challenge to make crystals in the real space! ～".
The samples which were defined by Japanese students will be loaded on Kirara after they have studied the conditions, with the goal of "making larger and more beautiful crystals”. 
This year, seven teams of 8 middle school students from the Kanto region will participate.

About Labels on Kirara
The Kirara crystallization unit itself allows for the attachment of two external labels (5 x 5 cm each), which will be launched along with the mission.
For this flight, the labels will represent the following participating organizations:
• Tanaka Sangyo Co., Ltd., launching rice seeds from Niigata, Japan
• Japan’s “Space Science Lab” (Uchuu Rika-shitsu) educational initiative
• HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungary
These symbolic labels will journey to space alongside the experiments, showcasing the international collaboration and educational spirit of the Kirara mission.

Three Labels to Be Affixed on Kirara6

About Kirara Service
Kirara service is a commercial service realized within an international framework of private companies, in which Confocal Sciences will load crystallization tubes filled with customer samples into the JAMSS-developed incubator ”Kirara”, while Space Applications Services of Europe covers the installation of the Kirara incubator cube in the commercial ICE Cubes facility on-board the ISS. As the commercial space station becomes more and more accessible and increasingly commercial, we develop our business in preparation for the new era by providing services using the assets (equipment, etc.) of private companies.

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