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Tokyo-based microsatellite company Axelspace Corporation has successfully launched seven GRUS-3 Earth observation microsatellites and confirmed receipt of first radio signals from all seven spacecraft in orbit.
The satellites were launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on July 7, 2026, as part of the Transporter-17 rideshare mission. Integration was handled by Exolaunch, a launch mission management and satellite deployment services provider.
All seven satellites were successfully placed into their intended orbit and are currently operating normally, according to the company.
What The Satellites Will Do
The GRUS-3 satellites are designed to expand Axelspace’s existing satellite constellation for Earth observation data, enabling wide-area and high-frequency observation.
Once fully operational, the satellites will be capable of capturing images of the Earth’s surface at the same location once per day for locations north of 25 degrees latitude.
Each satellite offers a spatial resolution (ground sampling distance) of 2.2 metres, with an effective swath of 28.3 km and a maximum capture length of 1,356 km.
The satellites are equipped with optical sensors featuring Nikon telescopes.
Critical Operations Underway
Axelspace is now working toward completing critical operations for the GRUS-3 microsatellites to ensure proper functioning in orbit, ahead of future services based on Earth observation data acquired by the constellation.
The development of the versatile satellite bus system used in GRUS-3 is based on results obtained through projects subsidised by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), specifically the “Development and Demonstration of General-Purpose CubeSat and Microsatellite Buses” program running from fiscal year 2023 to 2026. The project was previously supported by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry from fiscal year 2021 to 2022.
About Axelspace
Axelspace was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Tokyo. The company operates two main business lines: AxelLiner, which provides satellite development and operation services, and AxelGlobe, which delivers Earth observation data through the company’s proprietary optical satellite constellation.
The GRUS-3 launch represents a continued expansion of the AxelGlobe constellation, which is designed to provide regular observation data to commercial and government customers.
Last Updated on July 10, 2026 by Nick Ross
