Purpose:

To help maximize the findings produced by lunar and planetary explorations such as KAGUYA by performing higher-level processing and analytical research, contributing to even higher-level research aimed at elucidating the origins and evolution of the Moon and planetary bodies, and contributing to strategies, planning, and technological research in lunar and planetary explorations.

Expert analysis in lunar and planetary science and exploration:

Products such as geological distribution maps used in higher-level research and in strategizing lunar and planetary explorations are some of the outputs of our work. Our targeted outcomes are for these products to be reflected in the content of new world-class research papers, and in strategic scenarios, R&D, and planning for independent explorations.

Data science that leverages big data:

The volume of lunar and planetary exploration data acquired by a single sensor has been rising from the terabytes to multiple petabytes in recent years, exceeding the volumes that individual researchers and projects can handle. That is expected to make it more difficult to communicate world-class scientific findings from Japan and to formulate independent exploration strategies and plans. We have the personnel and environment in place to facilitate higher-level processing and analysis on vast volumes of exploration data, including from other countries’ explorers.

Community collaborations:

As we accommodate needs in planetary science and exploration, information science, and for people in a wide range of other fields, we also engage in analytical research, provide products, and develop human resources from an international and long-term perspective.