NYK and Osaka University to Jointly Develop Offshore Rocket Recovery Ship in 2026

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) has announced a research collaboration with the Graduate School of Engineering, University of Osaka, to jointly advance the development of an offshore recovery ship system for reusable rockets. The collaboration commenced on July 1, 2026, and is part of NYK's offshore recovery system research conducted under the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Space Strategic Fund project.

The two parties will conduct joint research and development on the offshore recovery ship and related systems, with a focus on ship motion characteristics, recovery system design, and systems engineering. Specific tasks include analyzing the motion behavior of the recovery ship in waves, studying the optimal design of the recovery ship system, and conducting fundamental and analytical research prior to demonstration tests.

NYK stated that global efforts to develop reusable rockets are accelerating to reduce space transportation costs and increase launch frequency, leading to a growing demand for technologies to safely and reliably recover rocket launch vehicles. Given Japan's maritime geographical conditions, offshore recovery is considered a viable technical approach.

Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) is a Japanese shipping and logistics group headquartered in Tokyo, with businesses encompassing ocean transportation, logistics, energy transportation, and marine-related operations. The University of Osaka is a Japanese national university corporation, and its Graduate School of Engineering conducts education and research in engineering fields such as shipbuilding and marine engineering.