JAXA and ESA Sign a Memorandum on Planetary Defense and a RAMSES Cooperation Agreement
On May 7, 2026, JAXA President Yamakawa Hiroshi and ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) to strengthen and promote cooperation between JAXA and ESA in planetary defense. They also signed a cooperation agreement for the RAMSES mission under the MOC.
Planetary defense is an important global challenge that requires international cooperation to prepare for potential impact threats from asteroids and other near-Earth objects. JAXA and ESA have a long history of collaboration in space science and exploration, and in November 2024 they issued a Joint Statement on Future Large-Scale Cooperation. These agreements translate those discussions into concrete mission cooperation.
RAMSES is a mission to study asteroid Apophis before, during, and after its close approach to Earth in 2029. JAXA will provide thin, lightweight solar array wings (SAWs) to supply the spacecraft with power and a Thermal Infrared Imager (TIRI) to measure thermal infrared emission from the asteroid’s surface. JAXA will also provide RAMSES with a launch opportunity on an H3 launch vehicle. These contributions establish RAMSES as a joint mission involving JAXA and ESA.
This cooperation will also help expand the scientific and technical knowledge needed for future planetary defense activities. JAXA will continue working with ESA and other international space agencies and relevant organizations to improve understanding of and preparedness for potential impact hazards from near-Earth objects.