Institute for Unmanned Space Experiment Free Flyer

The Institute for Unmanned Space Experiment Free Flyer (USEF) (財団法人無人宇宙実験システム研究開発機構^?) was a Japanese space agency, which was founded by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in 1986. Unlike NASDA, ISAS, and NAL, it was not included in the JAXA organization, which was founded in 2003. The chairperson is Ichiro Taniguchi.

In 2012, USEF merged two other organizations—Earth Remote Sensing Data Analysis Center (ERSDAC) and Japan Resources Observation System Organization (JAROS)—to form a new organization Japan Space Systems (J-spacesystems).

The aim of USEF is technology development, especially the testing of commercial off-the-shelf parts (COTS), robotics, material sciences and technology for optical earth observations.

Unlike the JAXA organisation, USEF doesn't have its own launch vehicle. Instead, it has used either the H-IIA, the M-3S, or Russian rockets, so far. However, in 2008, METI mentioned the possibility of USEF developing an air-launched vehicle for small payloads.

The Experiment Re-entry Space System (EXPRESS) is a 745 kg (1,642 lb) satellite for microgravity experiments and testing of re-entry technologies. The project was done in cooperation with ISAS (now JAXA) and DLR of Germany. On January 15, 1995, it was launched on the M-3S. However, due to a problem with the rocket, the orbit was much lower than planned. The re-entry capsule was found later in Ghana.

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