ArianeGroup and IHI Aerospace strengthen their space surveillance partnership with a new Helix station in Japan

On 1 April 2026, on his first day as ArianeGroup’s new CEO, Christophe Bruneau travelled to Japan alongside French President, Emmanuel Macron, and a delegation of French officials. This visit marks a key step forward in space cooperation between France and Japan, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ArianeGroup and IHI Aerospace.

The agreement was signed at the Tokyo Innovation Base in Marunouchi, in the presence of Philippe Baptiste, French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space. It covers the joint operation of a land-based optical station dedicated to Space Situational Awareness (SSA), installed at IHI’s industrial site in Aioi.

Equipped with three optical sensors, the station will be jointly operated by ArianeGroup and IHI Aerospace to enhance understanding of the orbital environment and support a more effective response to the sector’s growing challenges.

Strategic collaboration for space sovereignty

In a context of increasing congestion and militarisation of space, space situational awareness has become vital for states seeking to ensure their strategic autonomy. Space infrastructure, now critical for communications, navigation and defence, is exposed to a growing number of risks.

In response, ArianeGroup has developed Helix, a global network comprising 16 stations and 47 optical sensors, supported by a command and control (C2) centre that integrates the latest innovations in optical and laser technology, automation and artificial intelligence.

Following their initial partnership in 2017, ArianeGroup and IHI Aerospace have progressively strengthened their joint capabilities in space surveillance, orbital data and analysis.

This new station in Japan, the 16^th in the Helix system, will provide:

• expanded coverage of medium Earth orbit (MEO), geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) and highly elliptical orbit (HEO),
• round-the-clock tracking of objects in orbit,
• enriched data for ArianeGroup’s catalogue and increased access to orbital information for IHI Aerospace.

A consolidated, long-term Franco-Japanese cooperation

ArianeGroup and IHI Aerospace, which first partnered in 2017, have progressively strengthened their joint space surveillance capabilities. Since 2022, both partners have been sharing geosynchronous orbit data.

This joint station will further enhance their ability to meet both civil and military requirements.

Shared strategic challenges

The new agreement, signed on 1 April, aims to:

• strengthen the two partners’ SSA capabilities through expanded coverage of orbital regimes,
• enrich available data catalogues,
• reinforce French and Japanese space sovereignty by ensuring greater autonomy in the protection of their space assets.

Christophe Bruneau, CEO of ArianeGroup, commented: “This partnership reflects our shared commitment to ensuring robust and resilient space situational awareness. Together, we are contributing to the security of space operations at a time when space has become an increasingly contested domain.”

Chiyuki Nakamata, Director of IHI Aerospace, added: “We are delighted to sign this agreement with ArianeGroup. Until now, our activities have primarily focused on geosynchronous orbit. Sharing this station will enable us to expand our capabilities to low Earth orbit, thereby supporting the development of our SSA activities and contributing to space security.”

The integration of this station into the Helix system will enhance threat detection and improve responsiveness to incidents in orbit. Looking ahead, this cooperation could extend to new technological projects, further strengthening the position of both countries in the international space sector.

Photos by Arianespace / Kiyoshi