JEM (Japanese Experiment Module)

[ Space Station Equipment ]

[ SPACE ]

The Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), also called Kibo, meaning “hope” in Japanese, is Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s first human space facility on the International Space Station (ISS) and is designed to host up to four astronauts (crew members) to perform experimental activities. Kibo was launched in three separate American space shuttle missions in 2008 and 2009 and assembled and docked to the Space Station in orbit by extra-vehicular activities by astronauts (crew members). Kibo consists of the pressurized module (almost the same atmosphere as the earth), the exposed facility (outer surface of Kibo that is exposed directly to space), the remote manipulator (the robot arm), experiment logistics module (the warehouse of Kibo), etc. Astronomical observations, earth observations, material experiments and productions, life science (space medicine, biotechnology, etc.) and communication experiments, etc. are taking place on Kibo.