Aboard ISS resides the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Japanese Experiment Module, known as Kibo.
Mr. Yamaura, JAXA Vice President (right) and H.E. Dr.Kanlıgöz, Director General of Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications of the Republic of Turkey (left) at the signing of the agreement.
Earlier this month, Mr. Yuichi Yamaura, Vice President of JAXA, and H.E. Dr. Cihan Kanlıgöz, Director General of the Aeronautics and Space Technologies, the Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications of the Republic of Turkey, signed a Cooperation Arrangement concerning the use of Kibo.
This agreements purpose is to offer opportunities to deploy a smallsat—in this case, a cubesat—from the Kibo module and to conduct space experiments in an exposed environment using the Exposed Experiment Handrail Attachment Mechanism called ExHAM on board Kibo. With this agreement, the parties intend to promote concrete cooperation by using experience in the field of space technology and its utilization that JAXA has practiced. Both parties will engage in additional discussions to enhance the collaborative relationship in such areas as support for the establishment of a Republic of Turkey space agency and the promotion of capacity-building activities.
The signing ceremony of the Agreement was held in Ankara, Turkey, in the presence of H.E. Yosuke Tsuruho, Minister of State for Space Policy, the Cabinet Office of Japan, and H.E. Afmet Arslan, Minister of Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications of the Republic of Turkey.