Space Technology Transfer: Spin-off Cases from Japan

Purpose – Government organizations have to justify high expenditure during periods of financial crisis such as the one we are experiencing today. For example, the Space Agencies have attempted to increase the returns on their investments in space missions by encouraging the commercial use of advanced technologies. The development of a technology transfer process from Space to Earth not only benefits the aerospace industry but also the network of national companies. The aim of this paper is to investigate who the actors are and the nature of their role, and which are the determinants of the technology transfer (TT) process in the Japanese space sector. Design/methodology/approach – We have adopted an explorative research approach, investigating two cases of TT promoted by JAXA and supported by Mitsubishi, one of the most important system integrator companies. Findings – The study of the actors, roles and technologies in the two Japanese cases confirms the typical path of transfer in the space sector described as “Earth-Space-Earth”, in particular three specific TT paths can be found in the cases analyzed. Regarding the determinants of TT process, the most important ones are correlated to the type of technology (versatility, integrality and flexibility, reliability). Organizational, economic and financial determinants have less significance. Originality/value – This paper describe two TT cases promoted by JAXA, in order to identify the organizational models and determinants of technology transfer. Few studies have focused on TT in the Japanese space sector.