FabCafe, Chiba Institute of Technology, and Loftwork announce the launch of 'Project Apophis,' the first Japan-U.S. private-sector-led collaboration on asteroid exploration
Loftwork Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya, Tokyo; CEO: Mitsuhiro Suwa), the global creative community hub FabCafe, and the Chiba Institute of Technology’s Planetary Exploration Research Center (PERC) (Location: Narashino, Chiba; Director: Tomoko Arai) launched Project Apophis in November 2024, marking the first industry-academia collaboration for a Japan-U.S. joint asteroid exploration project.
Uniting businesses, technology, capital, talent, and creativity in anticipation of the rare close approach of asteroid Apophis in 2029
Apophis, approximately 340-meter-wide asteroid, is set to make its closest approach to Earth on April 13, 2029. During this event, it will pass within approximately 32,000 kilometers of our planet—about one-tenth the distance to the Moon and closer than the typical orbit of geostationary satellites, which are positioned at an altitude of around 36,000 kilometers. This once-in-a-millennium event is expected to be visible to the naked eye across vast regions of Earth.
Capitalizing on this extraordinary observational opportunity, Project Apophis unites businesses, cutting-edge technology, funding, fresh talent, and creativity to pioneer new possibilities in the space sector. The project involves deploying an exploratory satellite to Apophis, fostering collaboration between space and non-space industries. Additionally, it seeks to build vibrant communities and consortia, connecting researchers with professionals and creators from diverse fields.
Project Apophis Outline
1. Implementing a mission to explore the asteroid
Conduct a spacecraft observation mission in anticipation of asteroid Apophis’s close approach to Earth.
2. Fundraising
Secure funding for the observation mission by engaging diverse sectors and designing cross-disciplinary collaboration opportunities.
3. Promoting space-themed co-creation opportunities
Use the observation mission as a foundation to foster collaboration across space and non-space industries by establishing consortia and implementing programs for startups.
4. Disseminating information
Launch a website to share observation updates, host outreach events to promote research, and collaborate with creators on prototyping initiatives.
Asteroid Exploration Mission Roadmap
Project Apophis, centered around the exploration of asteroid Apophis, aims to foster business exchange between space and non-space industries through consortium management, as well as engaging in activities related to space, design, and art in collaboration with creators.
- December 2024
- Project Apophis begins
- 2025
- Consortium and collaborative projects start
- 2028
- Observation satellite launched
- February 2029
- Observation of Apophsis begins *The exact date is not yet decided but it will occur before the asteroid’s closest approach to Earth.
- April 13, 2029
- Apophsis makes its closest approach to Earth
The project aims to launch residency programs for startups and artists, as well as global awards and meetups, organized by FabCafe and Loftwork
Project Apophis Team
Loftwork
Loftwork is a creative company driven by the belief in the inherent creativity within everyone. Through co-creation with creators, businesses, local communities, and academia, Loftwork develops future-oriented value.
The company operates initiatives such as FabCafe, which updates regional resources and technologies through making; MTRL, which fosters innovation in material and technology development; and AWRD, a platform for co-creation between creators and companies. Committed to a long-term perspective, Loftwork builds business ecosystems that generate lasting societal value, focusing beyond short-term profits to engage deeply with people, businesses, and communities.
https://loftwork.com/en/who/
FabCafe
FabCafe is a place to accelerate creative serendipity with a nice cup of coffee and collaborative peers.
As an open creative platform, FabCafe aims to empower everyone to take the initiative to make anything, turning their ideas into reality and sharing those ideas in a more tangible way with local and global communities.
A single FabCafe can be a creative hub for designers and the local community to share and experiment with innovative ideas. A network of FabCafe communities worldwide can create an ecosystem that kick starts the next mass customization movement from the bottom up!
https://fabcafe.com/
Planetary Exploration Research Center (PERC)
PERC, established in 2009 by the Chiba Institute of Technology, is a research institution dedicated to unraveling the origins and evolution of celestial bodies in the solar system through collaboration with planetary exploration programs worldwide. The center specializes in astrobiology, a field that investigates the origins, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe.
With experts from diverse fields, PERC actively collaborates with organizations such as JAXA, NASA, and ESA to conduct research on planetary formation, the presence of organic matter, and traces of life.
Contact
■ For inquiries regarding Project Apophis
FabCafe Tokyo
E-mail: fabcafet@loftwork.com
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