Pale Blue will showcase the water thruster at CES 2023

 

・Pale Blue’s water thruster has been adopted by Sony’s nano-satellite for its new project, STAR SPHERE

・The water thruster will prolong the satellite’s life by 2.5 years with the ability to enter and keep the orbit at 500-600 km altitude

・Pale Blue will conduct its first space demonstration at the end of January 2023

Las Vegas (Jan. 4, 2023) – Pale Blue provides a water vapor propulsion system (water engine) for a nano-satellite of Sony’s STAR SPHERE Project. The propulsion system will enter and maintain the orbit of the satellite, which will fly in Low Earth Orbit at an altitude of 500 km to 600 km. Leveraging its technology, the water propulsion system will prolong the satellite’s life by 2.5 years.

 

In recent years, environmental problems occurring on a global scale have become more serious, and many countries around the world, one after another, have declared themselves carbon neutral. An increasing number of companies are also working to reduce environmental impact and handling costs by adopting green propellants in the space industry. Pale Blue tackles environmental issues and growing demand by providing safe, sustainable and low-cost propulsion systems that use water as propellant.

 

The Sony STAR SPHERE Project endeavors to liberate people’s perspective of space through the power of technology. The project aims to create opportunities for people to nurture their thoughts on the global environment and social issues by freely observing the Earth from outer space.

The project’s nano-satellite was launched by SpaceX Falcon 9 on January 3^rd 2023, marking Pale Blue’s first on-orbit space demonstration of a water vapor propulsion system. Going forward, Pale Blue will advance science and technology by innovating the safe water-based propulsion system to create the next generation of space mobility infrastructure.

 

“I am sure that STAR SPHERE, which enables everyone to discover perspectives from space and gain new inspiring experiences, is an unprecedented new use of space and a project with the potential to grow the space industry itself in a discontinuous manner,” said Jun Asakawa, CEO and Co-Founder of Pale Blue. “I am very pleased that our safe, sustainable and low-cost water thruster can contribute to this project, and we are committed to the development of the space industry.”

 

Pale Blue Exhibits:

Jan. 3 (5:00-8:30 p.m.) – CES Unveiled (Booth #332, Mandalay Bay)

Jan. 5 (6-10 p.m.) – ShowStoppers (Bellagio Hotel, Grand Ballroom)

Jan. 5-8 – CES 2023 (Booth #62201, Japan Pavilion @Eureka Park)

 

Press Kit: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1WomFJ754lp47DVAICtYuiEgYlRqDEthk

 

About Sony STAR SPHERE Project

Official website: https://starsphere.Sony.com/

Challenging new frontiers through the power of technology, Sony will open “the perspectives of space” to unlock inspiring exploration – and deliver “inspiring space experiences” across the globe through the power of entertainment. This new perspective has the power to change human consciousness and unleash infinite ideas and creativity.

Sony, together with the University of Tokyo and JAXA, develops “EYE,” a nano-satellite, equipped with a Sony camera. The satellite will be able to use an operation simulator to capture images of the earth and stars with the camera work intended by the user.

 

About Pale Blue

Pale Blue is a space startup from the University of Tokyo founded in 2020. The company is dedicated to thrusters innovation for small satellites that use water as a propellant. Through its water-based propulsion technology, Pale Blue aims to develop a space ecosystem where in-space mobility is not only affordable but completely safe to both humans and the surrounding environment. For more info: https://pale-blue.co.jp/

 

Contact

Emily Okuhara, Marketing & Communications Manager of Pale Blue

Email: e.okuhara@pale-blue.co.jp