KDDI Corporation
ispace technologies, inc.
March 23,2016
KDDI and Team Hakuto have signed an official partnership agreement to face the challenge of the Google Lunar XPRIZE together. With this technology collaboration, KDDI will be participating in the first private exploration of the Moon.
KDDI has officially partnered with Hakuto, the first privately funded lunar exploration team from Japan. Hakuto is maintained by ispace technologies, inc. (Headquarters: Minato, Tokyo; President and CEO: Takeshi Hakamada) and has a mission in pursuit of the Google Lunar XPRIZE. The Google Lunar XPRIZE is the worlds first uncrewed lunar exploration competition. Optimizing their accumulated technologies and experience in telecommunications, au (KDDIs mobile brand) is jointly developing a lunar exploration robot (rover) with Hakuto in an attempt to win the Google Lunar XPRIZE competition.
aus Role in Team Hakutos Google Lunar XPRIZE Mission
The Google Lunar XPRIZE is an international competition to land a privately funded rover on the lunar surface, travel more than 500 meters, and transmit back high definition video and images taken by the rovers camera to the Earths surface.
Having already completed a number of iterations of the design of its rover, HAKUTO is now working on developing the final version, (i.e.: flight model) which will be used to complete their lunar exploration mission.
Operation of the rover on the Moon will be conducted remotely from the Earth; communication technology is therefore key to the success of the mission. Hakuto is conducting research to use a frequency band normally used for mobile devices on the lunar surface. This is the first attempt by a private company to use commercial communication technologies to assist in space exploration. Au will support this project by optimizing their accumulated technologies and using their experience in telecommunication. This includes testing radio radio communications using a radio-frequency anechoic chamber, and assisting with data recovery, compression, and optimization.
Au and Hakuto will also collaborate for testing of the flight model of the rover, which is currently under development. This new space challenge by au follows their previous innovation in international satellite broadcasting, being the first to broadcast between the U.S. and Japan. HAKUTOs mission in pursuit of the Google Lunar XPRIZE is their challenge to cross the boundary between space and the Earth. By going to the Moon with a privately funded company for the first time, au is further establishing their commitment to transcending boundaries.
Comment by Takeshi Hakamada (Hakuto Team Leader)
The communication technology that we jointly develop is essential to connect us to space and to our rover on the Moon. I greatly feel reassured that the pioneer of international telecommunications in Japan is supporting us to build that technology. I am confident in the faculties of aus research institute and its technicians outstanding experience and knowledge of communication technologies. I am incredibly excited to work with them as a team to pursue this mission.
Comment by Takashi Tanaka (KDDI CEO)
I am sincerely pleased to be able to challenge the first private lunar exploration with Team HAKUTO. The lunar surface is a significantly different environment from the Earth. We are expecting various difficulties in each component of communication. KDDI provides maximum technology and experience gained so far, and I would like to strongly support this mission. I believe this experience will be the first step that leads to the development of new space and communications technology.
About the Google Lunar XPRIZE [Web site:
http://lunar.xprize.org]
Sponsored by Google, the $30M Google Lunar XPRIZE, which is maintained by XPRIZE Foundation, is an international space race in lunar robotic exploration. The purpose of this race is to advance privately funded space development, expand the space industry, promote investments to the market, and create sustainable business to develop on the Moon over a long term. The mission is to land a privately funded rover on the Moon, travel 500 meters, and transmit back high definition video and images. The first team will be awarded the $20 million Grand Prize. The second team will be awarded $5 million. Currently, 16 teams are officially participating in the competition worldwide.
About Hakuto [Web site:
http://team-hakuto.jp/]
Hakuto, which is maintained by ispace technologies, inc, is the sole competitor of the Google Lunar XPRIZE from Japan. Hakuto is comprised of people from diverse backgrounds such as venture capital, engineering, academic research and probono members; they have pooled their ideas, skills and resources to develop the lunar rover. In January 2015, the team was awarded a Mobility Milestone Prize from Google Lunar XPRIZE worth five hundred thousand American dollars. The prize was granted after an independent judging panel followed Hakutos progress in qualifying its rover for flight readiness.
About KDDI
KDDI, a Fortune Global 500 company, is one of Asias largest telecommunication providers, with a proven track record extending over many years around the world. We deliver all-round services, from mobile phones to fixed-line communication, making us your one-stop solution provider for telecommunications and IT environments.
For more details, see the Attachment.
Attachment aus mission in the HAKUTO Project
The information contained in the news releases is current at the time of publication. Products, service fees,service content and specifications, contact information, and other details are subject to change without notice.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
13/05/2026
New Adobe Premiere Color Grading Mode Accelerated on NVIDIA GPUs
Joel Pennington May 13, 2026
0 Comments
New NVIDIA RTX-accelerated features streamlin...
13/05/2026
Grass Valley announced that dB Broadcast has delivered new IP-based outside broadcast (OB) trucks for Cloudbass, featuring Grass Valley LDX 100 Series cameras a...
13/05/2026
Ikegami will exhibit the latest additions to its wide range of broadcast production cameras, control units, viewfinders and monitors on stand 5D3-1 at Broadcast...
13/05/2026
FISE, working with the founding members of the XR Sports Alliance (XRSA), Accedo, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and HBS, have collaborated to develop an immersive...
13/05/2026
Canon Unveils New EOS R6 V Full-Frame EOS Camera and RF20-50mm F4 L IS USM PZ Bu...
13/05/2026
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Honors Beth Morrison and Moses Pendleton at Comme...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Creative software developer Foundry today announced the latest developments on Nuke Stage. A purpose-built application for end-to-end virtual production and in-...
13/05/2026
A definitive portrait of one of Ireland's most influential musicians
New TV documentary airs Monday 18 May on RT One and RT Player at 9.35pm
Watch the...
13/05/2026
Agentic AI is changing the way users get work done. Following the success of OpenClaw, the community is embracing new open source agentic frameworks. The latest...
13/05/2026
Reinforcement-learning agents - AI systems that learn by trial and error - can c...
12/05/2026
Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...
12/05/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...
12/05/2026
With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...
12/05/2026
The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...
12/05/2026
NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...
12/05/2026
TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...
12/05/2026
The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...
12/05/2026
For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...
12/05/2026
CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...
12/05/2026
LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...
12/05/2026
Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...
12/05/2026
NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...
12/05/2026
Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...
12/05/2026
Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...
12/05/2026
To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language
NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...
12/05/2026
Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...
12/05/2026
A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...
12/05/2026
Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...
12/05/2026
Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...
12/05/2026
500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...
KDDI Corporation
