THE SPACE FRONTIER STUDIOThe Development of a face-to-face two-way live communication system connecting the Earth to the ISS
and the utilization of the system to produce broadcast programs

2020 International Space Station Research and Development ConferenceContent of the first series of programs
With technologies and designs, we will make space open to everyone. From the remote placecalled space where only astronauts were able to make statements, every individual will have theopportunity to send messages and express himself or herself, while watching the blue Earth.
The laptop terminal installed by the round window facing Earth of the Japanese Experiment
Module (JEM) "Kibo" on the International Space Station (ISS) is the main equipment of the newly
constructed Space Frontier Studio KIBO. Messages uplinked by the TV studio (ground studio)
located in Tokyo are displayed on the onboard terminal. Videos showing the interior of the JEM
Kibo are transmitted to the ground studio. This is the world's first face-to-face participatory
two-way live communication system linking space with Earth. This system is utilized to produce
and deliver TV broadcast programs.

The Space Frontier Studio KIBO (ISS)A real-time video of the ground is displayedtogether with the surface of Earth as seen throughthe window of the JEM Kibo module.

The ground studio (Tokyo)

The real-time video of the JEM Kibo is downlinked
to the ground studio. It takes about 7 sec totransmit video data from the ground studio to theISS and then return it to the ground.

【PROGRAM】
The program content was arranged and progressed with the 90-minute ISS orbit around Earth. As
the ISS travels in Earth's daytime zone, various communication experiments linking the JEM Kibo
with the ground studio are conducted. During the Earth's nighttime zone, The Perseid meteorshower was also filmed and broadcast live by the ground studio.

Technical Challenge 1

Bascule Inc. - Seiya Takeda, Kampei Baba, Tomoyuki Iwabuchi, Masaki Ueda, Michiyasu Wada

JAXA - Shinichi Takata, Daisaku Ozawa

Development of face-to-face two-way live communication system with stations other than the ISS/NASA/JAXA intranet

NetworkIntranet

The ISS was connected on an intranet with the Tsukuba Space Center and it is not possible to import externaldata into the intranet.
Our system is based on the mechanism of converting external data into two-dimensional codes, capturingtwo-dimensional code images, and then re-converting those codes into data to transfer real-time external data.
This mechanism enables external data to be imported on a real-time basis, while maintaining a secure state ofthe intranetwork.

ISS・Studio Live Cam・Appliction Commands
・SNS massages

Application
The following types of data are imported into the intra-network of the Tsukuba Space Center and ISS:・Videos filmed in the ground studio・Display switching commands of the application running on the laptop terminal installed in the JEM Kibo
・Messages uploaded through SNS by program viewers (e.g., text data, icon images).
Such data emitted by the ground studio in Tokyo are received through the system booth in the Tsukuba Space
Center by the application running on the laptop terminal in the JEM Kibo.
The terminal displays operation commands with a one-second delay (each way) and video from the groundstudio with a two-second delay (each way). It can be operated on a real-time basis from the ground studio inTokyo in harmony with the progress of the TV program.
The ground studio also operates the onboard terminal to display video of the ground studio and SNS messagesof the viewers, which are then captured by the intra-vehicular camera to downlink the video data. This is theworld's first configuration of a two-way live communication system.

Technical Challenge 2

Video ﬁlmed inthe JEM Kibo

InternetGroundstudio

Tsukuba
Space CenterJohnson
Space CenterJAXA

NASA

Technical Challenge 3

Fabrication and operation of a variable ND filter for optimal filming ofintra- and extra-vehicular objects with different illumination levels
Due to the ever-changing intensity of sunlight, filming intra - and extra - vehicular objects withdifferent illumination levels (e.g., screen of the onboard laptop terminal, Earth as viewed throughthe round window of the JEM Kibo) with an optimal exposure previously required real-time
regulation (dimming). We therefore fabricated a variable ND filter with double polarizing film
dedicated to filming the view through the round window of the JEM Kibo, and transported it tothe ISS. It has a simple dimming mechanism. The user need only "roll" the closer filter to one sidein order to smoothly reduce the light.

ResultMaking maximum use of the available on-orbit equipment, we haveconfigured a new studio system based on a unique idea: establishingtechnical bases for using the ISS as a means of entertainment business.

1 [World-first achievement] The ISS/Earth face-to face two-way live

program delivery system was technically demonstrated for broadcast.
A general-purpose data communication protocol that considers limited communication lines
between the ISS and Earth, and an application dedicated to two-way communications
enabled in a short time were originally developed. Using relays provided by JAXA, NASA,and other stations, two-way live video delivery was successfully demonstrated between theground and ISS.
Remote control of the application installed on the terminal in the JEM Kibo was successfullydemonstrated with commands sent by a private studio in Tokyo (outside the JAXA TsukubaSpace Center). This marked Japan's first achievement of such a command operation.

KIBO Data Bridge System

Viewers onEarthJ・S PA R C

Broadcast programs in arranged with ISS's orbit, daytime/night timezone, and AOS/LOSThe ISS's time zones, sunrise and sunset times, and AOS/LOS (acquisition of signal/loss ofsignal) zones are visualized on a single world map. These visualized data are used for producing
broadcast programs. The intra- and extra-vehicular camera angles and the sun's relativeorientation, which could not be tested beforehand, were simulated using an original 3D simulator.
Both the onboard crew and viewers on the ground could thus observe the rising sun together
during the broadcast.

The private studio in Tokyo sent commands via JAXA and NASA for the following threeoperations:
1. Broadcasting live video of the ground studio in Tokyo
2. Displaying in-application video and still image assets
3. Displaying comments and tweets by international viewers
The on-orbit equipment received data sent by the ground studio during the broadcast.
Operations that included the display of data by commands sent from the ground weresuccessfully demonstrated.

2 The usefulness of a variable ND filter was successfully demonstrated forthe simultaneous filming of Earth and the terminal screen--objects withvastly different illumination levels.
The variable ND filter for views through the round window of the JEM Kibo successfully
helped control the reduction of Earth’s illumination level.

3 The TV program broadcast taking the ISS's orbit, time zones, andAOS/LOS into consideration proceeded as planned.

Future Vision【OPERATION】

Mating two polarizing filters

The Tsukuba Space Center houses the Mission Control Room (MCR) and the User Operation Area
(UOA). In collaboration with the ground studio in Tokyo, these facilities transmit video and otherdata to the ISS and direct specified intra-vehicular activities. The MCR/UOA check live videos
sent from the ISS for broadcasting and also conduct camera switching and other operations.

Ground studio (Tokyo)

Control Room (Tokyo)

UOA/MCR(Tsukuba Space Center)

Space Frontier Studio
KIBO (ISS)

Rolling the closer filter to one side to smoothly control the dimming.

Verification with a simulation system for filming Earth and the terminal at optimal angles
The positions and filming anglesof the camera and laptop
terminal for filming videos sentfrom the ground studio and theimages of Earth at optimal
angles were examined andverified with a 3D simulator.
Thus, the camera was precisely
installed in a short time.

Chart of the predicted orbit and AOS/LOS zones on the date ofbroadcastConfiguration of broadcast programs
based on the predictions

・Production of the next series of broadcast programs at the end of 2020 and early 2021
・Two-way video communication with reduced delay that uses UDP protocol
・Production of two-way broadcast programs linking videos of astronauts in the JEM Kibo andthose of the ground・Production of global content linked with the ISS's horizontal passing position over Earth・Development of advertisement products in view of commercialization
・Utilization of the broadcast system for stations other than the Space Frontier Studio KIBO
・Introduction of AR/VR content
・Teleradiography based on remote camera control

Acknowledgement
3D simulate of equipment andangles in the ISS

Bascule Inc. / JAXA / JAMSS

Actual camera image
3D simulation of the rising sun

Actual filmed video of the rising sun

Contact: Bascule Inc. Rumiko Nango / contact@kibo.space