---
title: "Nikon selected by JAXA to implement space AM initiative"
url: https://www.voxelmatters.com/nikon-selected-by-jaxa-to-implement-space-am-initiative/
date: 2025-02-27
modified: 2025-02-27
lang: en
author: "Edward Wakefield"
description: "Nikon Corporation has been selected by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to lead the implementation of a key technology development initiative under the Space Strategy Fund (SSF). The project,..."
categories:
  - "Aerospace AM"
  - "Japan"
  - "Metal Additive Manufacturing"
tags:
  - "future"
image: https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/pushinglimitscellcorebuildpng-e1740649796981-640x433.jpeg
word_count: 311
---

# Nikon selected by JAXA to implement space AM initiative

[Nikon Corporation has been selected](https://www.voxelmatters.directory/company/nikon-metrology/) by the [Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)](https://www.voxelmatters.com/jaxas-3d-printed-slim-lander-successfully-launches-for-the-moon/) to lead the implementation of a key technology development initiative under the Space Strategy Fund (SSF). The project, titled 'Innovative Technology for Lightweight, High-Performance, and Lower Cost Space Transportation Systems', focuses on advancing [additive manufacturing capabilities for space applications](https://www.voxelmatters.com/aerospace-am-market-worth-1-6-billion-in-2023-driven-by-end-users-and-metal-am-products/).

This initiative brings together [leading Japanese companies and universities](https://www.voxelmatters.com/nikon-to-open-nikon-am-technology-center-in-japan/), each contributing expertise in their respective technological fields. The primary objective is to develop and demonstrate metal AM solutions that enable the production of high-precision, low-cost, and short lead-time components for space applications. At the core of this effort is Japan’s first large-scale metal 3D additive manufacturing system, which is designed to position the country as a competitive player in the global space manufacturing market.

![Nikon selected by JAXA to implement space AM initiative - to develop and demonstrate metal AM solutions Japanese space applications.](https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/0227_02_01.jpg)

Leveraging its extensive experience in applied optics, Nikon aims to drive transformative changes in manufacturing processes and deliver new value to the AM industry. By integrating advanced metal 3D printing techniques, Nikon seeks to enable the production of large, high-precision space components, including rocket engines and structural elements for space transportation systems.

The overarching goal of this technology development initiative is to establish a foundational framework for [large-scale metal AM in the aerospace sector](https://www.voxelmatters.com/voxelmatters-aerospace-am-focus-2024-ebook/). This includes the development of equipment and core technologies necessary to support the wider adoption of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics and innovative metal 3D printing methods.

The Space Strategy Fund, managed by Japan’s Cabinet Office in collaboration with multiple government ministries, supports long-term technological advancements across the aerospace sector. It provides funding for startups, private companies, and academic institutions to pursue pioneering research in three key areas, including transportation, satellite technology, and space exploration. The SSF is structured to facilitate ambitious technological development over a period of up to ten years - aligning with JAXA's and Japan’s broader space strategy to expand markets, address societal challenges, and push the boundaries of space exploration.