NEWS

On August 27, 2025, JAMSS hosted the final presentation event for the 3rd “Space Science Lab” in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, where we celebrated the outstanding achievements of participating teams and presented awards to the best performers.

▼ What is “Space Science Lab”?
" Space Science Lab" is a six-month activity curriculum conducted after-school, based on concepts of STEM Education in collaboration with space and real-life experience. The curriculum targets middle to high school students from all over Japan, with them participating in real space experiments using the International Space Station (ISS). The theme of the experiment is "drug discovery research", a space experiment regularly conducted on ISS. To be specific, students work on protein crystal formation in space.

The program, now in its third year, was co-hosted by JAMSS and Nippon Travel Agency Co., Ltd. (Chuo-ku, Tokyo), continuing our mission to provide students nationwide with the opportunity to engage in real space experiments.


▼ Event Highlights
The final presentation, held on August 27 at Nihonbashi in Tokyo, a hub for Japan’s space business community, served as the culmination of the program. Students presented their findings based on comparative analysis between their space experiment and ground-based control experiment. Presentations addressed key questions such as:
• What were our initial hypotheses?
• Were our predictions correct?
• If we could run the experiment again, what would we do differently?
The atmosphere was that of an authentic scientific conference, with lively Q&A sessions where teams challenged each other with sharp questions. Expert judges, all specialists in space experiments, provided valuable feedback and advice, making the event both stimulating and educational.

Highlights from the Final Presentation on August 27

▼ Voices from Participants
Students shared their excitement and reflections:
• “It was amazing to think that something I made actually went to space. I want to try more experiments!”
• “I was nervous about presenting, but meeting space experiment specialists and hearing their insights was a great experience.”

Highlights from the Final Presentation on August 27

▼ Messages from the Organizers
“I was deeply impressed by the students’ enthusiasm and the depth of their presentations, which even included academic references. It was an honor to serve as the event moderator.”
— Haruki Momose, Space Systems Development Unit / Space Utilization Services Group

“The students’ passion for space experiments came through vividly, even through the camera lens. Their creative and well-thought-out presentations were truly inspiring.”
— Ibuki Sugawara, Space Systems Development Unit / Space Utilization Services Group

The event concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing teams for excellence in two categories: Experiment Report, and Presentation Skills. A commemorative photo session marked the close of this year’s program.
We look forward to continuing the “Space Science Lab” next year and inspiring even more students to explore the frontiers of science and space.

Highlights from the Final Presentation on August 27

▼ Program Overview: The 3rd “Space Science Lab”
The program ran from October 2024 to August 2025, engaging two teams (eight students in total) from middle schools in Tokyo. While team-based activities formed the core of the program, three joint events provided opportunities for cross-team interaction and collaboration.
Participants set their own experimental goals, optimized crystallization conditions on Earth, and prepared samples for launch to space. After the samples returned from orbit, students analyzed the results, compiled reports, and presented their findings at the final event. Sharing reports among all participants fostered peer learning and mutual discovery.
As space becomes increasingly integrated into our daily lives, this program aims to deepen students’ interest in space, science, and biotechnology, while providing a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in cutting-edge research.

In the near future, space will become an even more familiar part of our lives. Through this event, we aim to deepen students’ interest in space beyond Earth and offer an excellent opportunity to improve their knowledge of space development, natural science, and biochemistry.
Watch the video here

Are you interested in doing “Space Science Lab” in your country? The team of experts in space experiments can provide a tailored experience for your country, state, or region. 
Click here to contact us.


▼ About Kirara

"Kirara" is a service that generates high-quality protein crystals on the ISS and delivers them to customers. By placing samples in the ICE Cubes Facility, operated by Space Applications Services (Belgium), the crystals are grown in the microgravity environment of space, which prevents convection and sedimentation, conditions impossible to achieve on Earth. In addition to supporting scientific experiments and drug discovery, Kirara also contributes to STEAM educational activities.

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▼ About Nippon Travel Agency Co., Ltd.
Founded in 1905, Nippon Travel Agency is Japan’s oldest general travel agency. With years of experience in space-related public relations and other activities, the company launched a specialized space business department, the "Space Business Promotion Team," in 2020. Under the slogan "Building a bridge between people and space," Nippon Travel offers a variety of space-themed tours and events through its "sola Tabi Club" brand, from rocket launches to stargazing. The company is also involved in regional revitalization projects for local governments. In 2021, Nippon Travel launched the original "Mirai Juku" program for space and STEAM education, offering traveling classes and children's events on space at schools, learning centers, and commercial facilities.

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▼ About Confocal Science Inc.
Building on nearly over 30 years of experience supporting protein crystallization experiments in space, Confocal Science provides a wide range of equipment and technical services for both ground-based and space-based experiments.
The company supplies essential hardware and technical solutions for experiments conducted in low Earth orbit, including those on the International Space Station (ISS).
On the ground, Confocal Science offers equipment and services for solution-based chemical experiments, with a particular focus on protein crystallization and structural analysis. This includes the manufacturing and sale of crystallization containers, as well as contract services for crystallization and structural analysis.
In addition, the company develops active-learning kits and technical support for biochemistry experiments aimed at middle to high school students, supporting everything from ground-based condition studies to actual space experiments.
For more information, visit here.


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