Tokyo, Japan - July 13, 2021
Yokogawa Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6841) announces that, as a participant of the Lunar Industry Vision Council, it has worked with other members from government, academia, and industry to formulate a vision for a lunar industry, prepare a number of recommendations, and jointly submit them for the consideration of Inoue Shinji, Japan's Minister of State for Space Policy.
Over the years, Yokogawa has utilized its strengths in measurement, control, and information to support industries and the infrastructure that society depends on. Plants are one element in our industrial infrastructure that have an extremely large impact on the environment and society, so efficient, safe, and secure operations even in harsh environments are extremely important.
Today, with the growing interest in the space industry and in lunar commercial activities, Yokogawa has designated in its long-term business framework that the space field will be an area for future exploration, and the company is actively considering future business opportunities on the moon.
Examples of relevant Yokogawa strengths include a strong lineup of equipment that measures physical quantities such as power, voltage, current, light, and pressure with high accuracy, and advanced sensing technology with high performance and network capabilities. Moreover, Yokogawa has not only built up a long track record in providing distributed control systems for the monitoring and control of plant production equipment and operations, but has also acquired know-how on the optimal management of equipment throughout the plant life cycle. Additionally, by drawing on the latest digital technologies, including industrial IoT, AI, and big data, as well as its extensive domain knowledge, the company has developed a deep understanding of how to optimize operations. Moving forward, Yokogawa is looking to apply these strengths in the extreme environment of space.
Yokogawa will engage in co-creation with a range of partners to introduce self-sustaining, resource-saving technologies and comprehensive recycling solutions to enable a circular economy in space, where the air, water, food, and power needed to sustain human life are in extremely short supply, while also aiming to improve the global environment in line with the SDGs.
As it is anticipated that many different industries will expand their activities beyond the Earth, Yokogawa will continue to work with the Lunar Industry Vision Council to strengthen cooperation toward the goal of building an internationally competitive industrial base.
Official statement by the Lunar Industry Vision Council
"Since the beginning of history, human beings have expanded their sphere of existence and economic activity through the exploration of new frontiers. In the near future, humans will expand their presence beyond Earth, including near and on the Moon, and a new lunar economic system will be realized. Governments and private companies worldwide are aware of this momentum. As such, legislation is underway to support commercial activity on the Moon; scientists and academics are preparing instruments for lunar research and development; and private companies are creating new services and roadmaps to build an economic connection between the Earth to the Moon.
With this in mind, the Lunar Industry Vision Council was formed with the primary objective to realize lunar exploration activities centered on industrialization in Japan. As such, the council convened thirty companies and organizations from across Japan to explore this effort and executive upon its objective. Following several months of dialogue and study, the council has compiled a report consisting of six resolutions and seven policy recommendations to be presented to the Japanese government.
The council is proud to announce that, on July 13, 2021, the report, which is titled, "Lunar Industry Vision: Planet 6.0" has been respectfully submitted to and duly received by Minister of State for Space Policy Inoue Shinji. It is with great honor that the council may conclude this undertaking. It is the council's strong will and anticipation that this activity will lead to a "Lunar Industrial Revolution," creating a private sector-led lunar industry that can provide benefit to Earth."
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About Yokogawa
Yokogawa provides advanced technologies and services in the areas of measurement, control, and information to customers across a broad range of industries, including energy, chemicals, materials, pharmaceuticals, food, and water. Yokogawa addresses customer issues regarding increasingly complex production, operations management, and the optimization of assets, energy, and the supply chain with digitally enabled smart manufacturing, enabling the transition to autonomous operations.
Founded in Tokyo in 1915, Yokogawa continues to work toward a more sustainable society through more than 17,500 employees in a global network of 119 companies spanning 61 countries. For more information, visit www.yokogawa.com
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