Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6503) has completed construction of a facility that will double the satellite component production capacity of the firm's Kamakura Works’ Sagami Factory in Sagamihara, Japan.
Artistic rendition of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation's new building.
The new facility, Mitsubishi Electric’s core production and testing site for solar array panels, structural panels and other satellite components, is expected to help grow Mitsubishi Electric’s share of the global satellite market once production starts this October. The new facility will introduce a number of advanced manufacturing machines, such as high-precision machining equipment and automated welding machines, which will help the factory to double its production capacity. Existing machines currently dispersed throughout the factory will be concentrated in the new facility. The realization of seamlessly integrated production processes — from component and panel production to final testing — will further increase production efficiency, shorten production time, reduce costs and elevate product quality.
This advanced new facility is expected to strengthen Mitsubishi Electric’s flexibility and speed in adapting to global market demands. Together with a new satellite production facility, which is planned to be completed in July 2019 at the Kamakura Works, Mitsubishi Electric is targeting space-related revenue of 150 billion yen by 2021. Mitsubishi Electric’s Space Systems Business Mitsubishi Electric, a leading manufacturer for space research and development, has participated in the production of more than 500 domestic and international satellites as either the prime contractor or a major subcontractor. In 2000, the company became the first Japanese manufacturer capable of developing, designing, assembling and testing satellites at a single location. The company’s Kamakura Works is equipped with one of Japan’s largest thermal-vacuum testing chambers, an acoustic test chamber and an antenna test range. To date, the works has produced 18 satellites, as well as electronic modules for the Japanese-driven H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) for unmanned cargo resupply in outer space.
Mitsubishi Electric strengthened its presence in the global satellite market when it was selected to supply the TURKSAT-4A and -4B satellites to Turkey’s Turksat A.S. in March 2011. The two satellites incorporate Mitsubishi Electric’s DS2000 satellite platform, which facilitates the delivery of highly reliable satellites at reasonable costs. In May 2011, Mitsubishi Electric successfully delivered its ST-2 communications satellite into geostationary orbit for a joint venture between Singapore Telecommunications Limited and Taiwan-based Chunghwa Telecom Company Limited. In 2014, the company was awarded a contract to deliver the Es’hail 2 communications satellite to operator Qatar Satellite Company (Es’hailSat).
