February 8, 2024（JST）
Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd. (NDK) and JAXA have Startedco-creation activities related to “Project to Create the New QCM
sensor for Space Flight”∼ Making Japanese QCM sensor to the world standard ∼Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd. (Representative Director and President: Hiromi Katoh, hereinafter“NDK”),*1and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (President: Hiroshi Yamakawa, hereinafter “JAXA”),
started co-creation activities in the “Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) Sensor*2Innovation for Space
Applications Project” in November 2023 within the framework of the “JAXA Space Innovation throughPartnership and Co-creation (hereinafter “J-SPARC”)*3program designed to generate new ideas for spacerelated businesses.
NDK and JAXA have already jointly developed a Twin-QCM outgas analysis system to measure gases
emitted from materials for space use in a vacuum environment (outgases)*4）that NDK has been marketing for
ground applications, and the two organizations are seeking in this co-creative effort to develop a space-use
flight model of the Twin-QCM and demonstrate it in orbit. In pursuing this co-creation, the two partners areseeking to renovate QCM sensors for space use, a sector in which overseas products have become the de facto
standard, as well as revamp the market for these sensors, and to develop new applications beyond conventional
outgas measurement in anticipation of future use in space exploration.

[Background to co-creation activities]
Contamination in space by outgassing from materials such as plastics and adhesives has become a problem.
Contamination on the surface of the telescope lenses of earth observation satellites and astronomical
observation satellites degrades optical performance and image quality and shortens service life. It is therefore
important to select components based on accurate measurement results to minimize outgassing from materials
as much as possible.
The Twin-QCM sensor jointly developed by NDK and JAXA is a twin sensor system with a referenceelectrode and a measurement electrode on a single quartz crystal, eliminating the problems of characteristic
differences between quartz crystal and variations in temperature that have been issues with conventional
products. In addition, conventional products had to be sent back to the manufacturer each time a quartz crystal
needed to be replaced, resulting in downtime and greater expense, but the Twin-QCM allows users to replacequartz crystal themselves quickly and inexpensively.
This Twin-QCM for ground use has already been sold to many domestic and overseas space equipment
development users. NDK and JAXA are hoping through this collaboration to carry out application developmentof a space flight model of this Japanese QCM sensor that offers excellent accuracy and usability and then todemonstrate it in orbit. The partners intend to establish in-orbit environment measurement technology forspace-specific applications such as atomic oxygen (AO) in addition to outgassing measurement technology.

Flight-use Twin-QCM system
EM sensor module (front), EM controller (right)(Engineering Model (EM): prototype model currently under evaluation) ©NDK
In the background is synthetic quartz crystal, the material used for quartz crystal sensor

[Background to co-creation activities]
NDK will develop a flight-use Twin-QCM and search out potential customers. More specifically, NDK will
design and evaluate the reliability of Twin-QCMs for rocket launch and in-orbit environments. In addition,NDK will add on storage functions to cope with the limited communication environment in orbit. In parallel,
the company will conduct research on new markets and new customers for space applications.
JAXA will explore new applications and provide development support. More specifically, JAXA will beseeking out new applications for space-use QCM sensors beyond contamination measurement while
establishing measurement technology. With a view to installing these sensors aboard the International Space
Station (ISS) as a potential platform for in-orbit demonstrations, JAXA will also provide support in meetingthe stipulated safety requirements, etc., and will research and consider other demonstration platforms to secure
opportunities for in-orbit demonstrations. These efforts will enable JAXA to develop new applications forspace-use QCM sensors with an eye to future use in exploration.
Through this joint project, NDK and JAXA are looking to complete development in FY2024 and conduct
an in-orbit demonstration in FY2025. If successful in these endeavors, the partners will push to make Japanese
QCM sensors for both ground and space applications a global standard.
*1 Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
Since its establishment in 1948, Nihon Dempa Kogyo has been engaged in the cultivation of synthetic quartz crystals
and the manufacture and sale of quartz crystal devices. NDK has been expanding use of its quartz devices, which have ahigh market share in the automotive electronics sector, into the space sector. In addition, the company has been sellingTwin-QCM, an outgas analysis system using quartz crystals as sensors, for ground applications since 2019, and will be
striving to develop a flight model of this system for use in space through this co-creation activity.
https://www.ndk.com/en/products/qcm/*2 QCM sensor: high-precision gas measurement sensor
A sensor for measuring gases emitted from materials for space use in a vacuum environment (outgases). The
measurement is based on the QCM method, which itself stems from the principle of the mass load effect, in which
frequency decreases in proportion to the mass of a substance absorbing to the electrodes of a quartz crystal. It wasdeveloped in 2017 through joint research by NDK and JAXA and is being marketed domestically and internationally.
Press Release: "Development of High-Precision Gas Measurement Sensor Made in Japan" (March 10, 2017)
Press Release: "Overseas Sales of High Precision Gas Measurement Sensor (Twin-QCM Sensor)" (July 12, 2019)*3 JAXA Space Innovation Partnership through Partnership and Co-creation (J-SPARC)JAXA Space Innovation through Partnership and Co-creation (J-SPARC) is a co-creation R&D program that starts withdialogues between JAXA and private companies, etc., seeking to get into the space business; once both parties arecommitted to commercialization, they jointly examine business concepts and develop and demonstrate exit-oriented
technologies, etc., to acquire new technologies and create new businesses. Launched in May 2018, this program has thus
far pursued about 40 projects and activities and has helped private companies start businesses (commercialize products,

go live with systems, etc.) in the food, lifestyle products, education, VR, entertainment, avatar, communication, and small
satellite constellation businesses. In business concept co-creation, program partners conduct market research and study
business concepts, while in joint business demonstrations, they carry out joint feasibility studies and joint technology
development and demonstration prior to commercialization.
https://aerospacebiz.jaxa.jp/solution/j-sparc/(Japanese Only)*4 Outgases
Outgases refers to gases unintentionally released from organic materials in a vacuum environment. It is desirable
to minimize outgassing from materials for space use and equipment because it becomes a source of contamination
through condensation and adsorption.

<Mr. Hiroki Kimura, Manager, Chitose Technical Center, Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co.,
Ltd.>
Based on our earlier development of an outgassing analysis system for ground use
with JAXA, our development of an engineering model (EM) for space use utilizing
the Space Exploration Innovation Hub's problem-solving approaches, and ourproposals to, and information obtained through interviews with, space agencies inthe United States and Europe, we are confident and honored that our Japanesetechnology will help expand space activities, exploration, utilization, and spacebusiness worldwide. We will strive to enhance the performance and functions of ourproducts and ensure space quality so that they can be widely employed.
<Dr. Eiji Miyazaki, Senior Researcher, Research Unit I, Research and Development
Directorate, JAXA>
I have carried on the research in contamination phenomena for spacecraft for
more than a decade. Sensing device is one of key technologies in contamination
research field, that is, "QCM sensor." Through my research work, I have amotivation to develop new QCM sensor. Then, I met NDK colleagues, creating andgrowing Twin-QCM together. In this co-creation activity, I will exert my efforts toestablish an experiment in orbit to measure the space environment.

Related Links
NDK - NIHON DEMPA KOGYO CO., LTD.
JAXA Business Development and Industrial Relations Department