Dawn Aerospace Partners with ANA Trading to Expand Spaceplane Payload Services into Japan

April 23, 2025

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Dawn Aerospace and All Nippon Airways Trading, a member of the ANA Group, are proud to announce the signing of a MoU to explore and expand payload services using Dawn’s rocket-powered aircraft, including the Mk-II Aurora vehicle in the Japanese market.

The Mk-II Aurora is the first aircraft designed to fly to space, above 100km altitude and supersonic speeds, twice in one day. This is a world first, along with its unique capabilities to fly higher than traditional aircraft and weather balloons, but lower than satellites which unlocks many applications in microgravity and atmospheric science, as well as Earth observation and high-speed flight research.

Through this newly signed MoU, ANA Trading will accelerate the introduction of Dawn’s space demonstration service using the Mk-II Aurora spaceplane into the Japanese market. The agreement reflects Dawn Aerospace’s commitment to expanding its operations globally while deepening ties between the space industries of New Zealand and Japan.

“Our partnership will bring a whole new class of low-cost, high-cadence space access to Japan, with significant implications for local industry”, said Stefan Powell, CEO of Dawn Aerospace. “ANA Trading is the perfect partner for us in Japan due to their long history in Japanese aviation and regulation, as well as increasing footprint in space activities.”   

"We see significant value in Dawn Aerospace’s reusable, runway-launched spaceplanes for expanding the scope of space utilization in Japan and promoting the creation of a more active industry" said Shinichiro Onitsuka, General Manager of ANA Trading. “Combining Dawn Aerospace’s cutting-edge technology with our deep expertise in aerospace industries will help unlock new services and research possibilities for Japanese industry, academia, and government.”

The MoU aims to pave the way for a formal partnership while delivering on near-term objectives, including marketing initiatives, feasibility assessments, and advancing commercial payload capabilities.

Source : Dawn Aerospace