Nippon Express NEC Logistics strengthens partnership to provide satellite and other transportation services, building a one-stop service for smooth transportation of goods from the ground to space.
April 24, 2024
DigitalBlast Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Shingo Horiguchi, hereinafter referred to as DigitalBlast), supports the revitalization of the space industry and the creation of new businesses in the space sector, and DigitalBlast Consulting Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Shingo Horiguchi, hereinafter referred to as DigitalBlast Consulting), which engages in consulting, media, and event business in the space and DX fields, have announced that they have strengthened their partnership with Nippon Express NEC Logistics Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, President and Executive Officer: Naoki Yoshida, hereinafter referred to as Nippon Express NEC Logistics), which has a track record of providing transportation services for satellites and other items, and will jointly advance the development of a one-stop service for the smooth transportation of goods, including artificial satellites, to space.
Background
In recent years, the space business has been attracting attention as a globally growing industry, especially services such as earth observation, communication, and provision of location information by artificial satellites are becoming the infrastructure of society. In addition, the concept of private commercial space stations to replace the International Space Station (ISS), which is a base for research and development and demonstration experiments in low Earth orbit (LEO) and is scheduled to decommission in 2030, and efforts by various governments and private companies for lunar development are also progressing, and business using the space environment is becoming more familiar to all industrial sectors.
On the other hand, from the stage of business planning, it is necessary to consider the design of goods to be transported to space, cost and schedule management, and compliance with export regulations, etc., for the transportation of artificial satellites and other equipment and goods to space.
Expertise from a different perspective than terrestrial transportation is required, and the lack of such knowledge and the response to complex and cumbersome tasks are also factors that hinder the entry and expansion into the space business.
In light of these circumstances, DigitalBlast, which is engaged in the development of space experiment equipment, and DigitalBlast Consulting, which has knowledge of space business consulting, as well as Nippon Express NEC Logistics, which has been accumulating a track record and know-how in special transportation such as artificial satellites and precision equipment such as semiconductors and electronic components, in line with the NEC Group’s space business, have collaborated to develop services to meet the growing needs for space transportation.
Conceptualizing Future Development
Construction of a one-stop service that supports everything related to space transportation
- Support for planning business plans that incorporate transportation plans and their costs
- Support for quality management such as specification, size, and weight management of goods to be transported to space
- Support for estimating transportation costs from manufacturing bases to launch sites and space
- Consulting on export regulations to launch locations (e.g., United States)
- Implementation of transportation utilizing the track record of transporting artificial satellites and precision equipment
*For transportation to space, rocket launch service companies are responsible
Intended service recipients
- Space ventures
- Businesses in non-space sectors that are working on/trying to work on space business
Image diagram of space transportation using artificial satellites as an example
Future Outlook
In the future, the three companies will collaborate to provide a one-stop service for transportation and consulting, enabling more client companies to realize businesses utilizing the environment of space. We will strive to make space business more familiar to everyone.
About DigitalBlast Inc.
The activities conducted on the International Space Station have demonstrated that in the absence of gravity, where natural convection and sedimentation are non-factors, orbit provides an ideal setting for efficient and high-quality research and development in materials and medicine, including bio-printed organs, optical fiber cables, and semiconductor production. Our company specializes in the orbital R&D/manufacturing platform business, leveraging these unique orbital characteristics to facilitate such research, material development, medicinal studies, and manufacturing in Earth’s orbit. Additionally, we are advancing the development of environments (terraforming business) that enable human habitation in space and on other celestial bodies (Moon, Mars, etc.). DigitalBlast is committed to continually challenging and actualizing the transformation of the space industry to “Make Space Valuable.”
Company Name: DigitalBlast Inc.
Office: Jinbocho mitsui building 19F,1-105 Kanda Jinbocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-0051, Japan
Representative: Shingo Horiguchi (CEO)
Established: December 2018
Website: https://digitalblast.co.jp/
Business Description: Space development business
About DigitalBlast Consulting Co., Ltd.
In an intricate world, diversifying interests and experiences is crucial to stand out among other corporations, enterprises, and individuals. Our firm is dedicated to delivering value to a broad spectrum of clients in various industries, providing not just the essential expertise and knowledge as consultants, but also a team endowed with the agility to act and make swift decisions. Furthermore, we are devoted to nurturing talents who can make a meaningful impact on society through their professional endeavors.
Company Name: DigitalBlast Consulting, Inc.
Office: Jinbocho mitsui building 19F,1-105 Kanda Jinbocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-0051, Japan
Representative: Shingo Horiguchi (CEO)
Established: December 2018
Website: https://digitalblast-c.co.jp/
Business Description: Consulting in the DX and space sectors, event planning and management, video production, design and creative production, article and video media operation
About Nittsu NEC Logistics Co., Ltd.
Nittsu NEC Logistics is a “professional in electrical precision logistics that possesses the strengths of both the NX Group, a leading company in logistics, and the NEC Group, which excels in ICT (Information and Communication Technology). In response to the needs of the increasingly advanced and complex logistics industry, we provide optimal services to our customers through global business development, with logistics services for the electrical precision industry and the semiconductor and electronic component industry at our core.
Company Name: Nittsu NEC Logistics, Ltd.
Office: Musashi-Kosugi STM Building, 1-403 Kosugimachi, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa 211-0063
Representative: Naoki Yoshida (President and Executive Officer)
Established: February 1972
Website: https://www.nittsu-necl.co.jp/
Business Description: Freight transport business, automobile freight transport business, air cargo transport agency, sea cargo transport agency, customs brokerage, administrative agency related to import and export operations, warehousing, packing, packaging, and counting as well as management of these tasks.