Overview

A multidisciplinary meeting aims to bring together Japanese and international experts to discuss some of the most exciting concepts in space exploration today. Many of these topics are multidisciplinary, requiring expertise from beyond the fields of aerospace and astronomy. Japan has led the way in solar sailing technology, and is a world leader in many other relevant fields including advanced materials, deployable space structures, optical engineering and astronomy.  

This meeting intends to foster interdisciplinary collaboration within the University of Tokyo, in Japan, and with international partners on the next generation of space exploration projects. 

Public sessions will consist of a lecture and panel discussion style event. The closed sessions will consist of group-based interactive discussions and activities. Both session types will provide a focal point for exchanges between international subject matter experts in the meeting theme, as well as with students and researchers at the University of Tokyo. Prior registration will be needed to join.

Topics

• Mission concepts - breakthrough via deployable membrane structures & light. 

• Materials  & membranes - towards practical, ultralightweight, deployable space structures. 

• Astronomy - innovative designs for remote observation of exoplanets. 

• Light - a vector for future space applications? 

Venue: 

The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa City, 277-8561 Japan

Organisers

• Deep Space Exploration Program, UTokyo: The University of Tokyo’s Deep Space Education Program (DESP) aims at developing human resources and knowledge sharing networks in the field of deep space exploration, through interdisciplinary collaborations. 

• The Breakthrough Initiatives: The Breakthrough Initiatives were founded in 2015 to explore the Universe, seek scientific evidence of life beyond Earth, and encourage public debate from a planetary perspective. 

Supporters

• Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, UTokyo: The Graduate School of Frontier Sciences (GSFS) was established to tackle significant interdisciplinary problems that cannot be dealt in a sole conventionally categorized field. 

• Science Communications Improvement Lab, UTokyo: SCIL was founded with the dedicated purpose of facilitating on-campus communication. We strive to create opportunities for cooperation and exchange between different elements of our community.