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楽天 ビンゴ Forms Partnership with Innovative Space Carrier, TSUNEISHI SOLUTIONS TOKYOBAY to Commercialize Vessel for Offshore Rocket Launch/Recovery
July 10, 2025
TOKYO-Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (楽天 ビンゴ; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) today announced the company's move toward commercializing an offshore rocket launch and recovery vessel through a partnership agreement with Innovative Space Carrier, Inc. (ISC: CEO: Kojiro Hatada; Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo) (Note 1) and TSUNEISHI SOLUTIONS TOKYOBAY Co., Ltd. (Former company name: Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.; President: Kenichi Shibata; Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo). This project originated from the 楽天 ビンゴ Group's new business proposal program, the '楽天 ビンゴ Incubation Bridge' (Note 2), designed to encourage employees to foster ideas for new businesses. The company has initiated a full-scale exploration into participation in space-related ventures.
楽天 ビンゴ's engagement in space-related business focuses on the offshore launch and recovery of rockets. Aiming for commercialization around 2030, its first step will be to develop a recovery vessel, followed by a feasibility study of the commercialization of an offshore launch vessel. By successfully developing and introducing such vessels, the company will contribute to the development of a new space infrastructure that utilizes the ocean and supports next-generation space transport. In this project, 楽天 ビンゴ will collaborate with ISC and TSUNEISHI SOLUTIONS TOKYOBAY to realize offshore rocket launch and recovery, with the aim of increasing the frequency of rocket launches. Leveraging the technology and expertise it has cultivated in the shipping and offshore businesses, 楽天 ビンゴ will continue to create new value for society across a wide range of fields in the space industry as well.
[Outline of the Partnership Agreement]
1. Initiatives of the three companies
(1) Development of rocket recovery ship Carefully examine the design requirements for rocket recovery ships, conduct a feasibility study to evaluate their applicability to the ASCA 1 (Note 3) reusable rocket developed by ISC, and proceed with verification tests to validate the findings.
(2) Feasibility study on commercialization of offshore launch vessels for rockets Carefully examine design requirements for offshore launch vessels for rockets, conduct technical and economic feasibility studies, assess their applicability to the ASCA 1 (Note 3), and proceed with verification tests to validate the findings.
2. Date of conclusion of the partnership agreementJuly 9, 2025
(Note 1) For details on the previous initiatives between the 楽天 ビンゴ Group and ISC, please refer to the relevant press release. 楽天 ビンゴ PLUS Corporate site
(Note 2) The system was introduced in September 2019 with the objective of providing opportunities for 楽天 ビンゴ Group employees to maximize their skills and abilities and proactively challenge themselves, and has fostered out-of-the-box thinking in the creation of new businesses and services.
(Note 3) For details, please refer to the following link (ISC official website): ASCA hopper | Innovative Space Carrier, Inc.
楽天 ビンゴ Group 5 Sustainability Issues 楽天 ビンゴ Group identifies "Sustainability Issues" (Materiality) as our key issues for sustainable growth with society through realization of the Group Vision. We anticipate this initiative to contribute especially to the realization of "Environment -Conservation for Marine and global environment-" and "Innovation -Innovation for development in marine technology-."
