Source: Peatix

Track the latest developments in the US, China, and Japan as they work towards building a lunar base!

In 2026, the construction of lunar bases will enter a new phase. This event will discuss the latest plans from various countries and consider the use of AI and robotics in exploration, construction, and operation.

The speakers will be the technical director of JAXA's Space Exploration Innovation Hub and the CEO of AI company Cougar. They will delve into the challenges and possibilities of realizing a lunar base from an expert perspective.

[Event Overview]
How far will space migration progress in 2026?
──US, China, and Japan Roadmap for a Lunar Base [Sphear #5]

Date and time | Friday, December 19, 2025, 19:00-22:00 (doors open 18:45)
Venue | Hikarie Conference Room C (Shibuya Hikarie 11th floor, 2-21-1 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)
Participation fee: 3,000 yen (prepayment)
Organizer ｜Sphear
Capacity: 30 people (first come, first served, application required)

*Only at the venue (no online streaming)
*Please present two business cards at the reception (one of which will be given to you at the reception)
*If you don't have a business card, you can write your name on the card.

【Cancellation policy】
Please note that cancellations (refunds) are not accepted after purchase. Tickets are "transferable."

Why "Space x AI" now?
Building a moon base, commercializing space travel, long-term exploration missions to Mars - what was once science fiction is now becoming reality. This "next frontier for humanity" is an area where AI will be most effective.

Extreme environments, remote operation from Earth, limited resources, unexpected troubles... Overcoming these challenges requires not only complementing and expanding human judgment, but also comprehensive utilization of AI, robotics, and human interaction, including autonomous control of rockets and robots, navigation of probes, environmental recognition, and optimization of communications.

[Timeline]
18:45 Doors open (reception begins)
19:00-19:10 "Sphear - Using AI to Challenge Human Space Migration"
19:10–19:40 “Anatomy of Blue Origin, the US lunar space program leader: Comparing the major players in the US, China, and Japan to understand the year 2026”
Atsushi Ishii (CEO of Cougar Inc.)
19:40–20:20 "2026 Space Migration Trend Outlook: An Era of Living on the Moon Supported by AI and Robotics"
Munetaka Ueno (Technology Director, Space Exploration Innovation Hub, JAXA)
20:20–20:50 Panel discussion
Crosstalk between two speakers
20:50–21:00 Lightning Talk
21:00–22:00 Social gathering (light snacks and drinks included)
Networking time between speakers and participants

[What is Sphear?]
Sphear is a community centered around "Space x AI" that aims to accelerate the migration to the Moon and Mars. Transcending specialized fields such as AI, robotics, and space engineering, people with diverse perspectives, including engineers, designers, architects, educators, psychologists, and artists, come together to envision a new future through free thinking and dialogue.

[Speakers]

Munetaka Ueno |
JAXA Space Exploration Innovation Hub Technology Area Manager

After completing his doctoral studies at the Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, he taught in the field of astrophysics at the University of Tokyo before joining JAXA in 2009. He has played a central role in numerous space science missions, including the infrared astronomy satellite and the Venus probe Akatsuki, and has also served as chair of the international committee that coordinates the space agency's PMs and SEs. Since 2019, he has been coordinating collaborative research activities for future exploration at the JAXA Space Exploration Innovation Hub, while also leading a project as PM for a moonshot research and development project aiming to build autonomous biospheres on the Moon and Mars using AI robots. He is involved with many companies and universities as a director, advisor, and specially appointed professor, promoting activities aimed at developing the domestic space business.

Atsushi Ishii
Cougar CEO

After working at IBM Japan, he was responsible for the development of large-scale search engines for Rakuten and Lycos. He then oversaw online game development across Japan, the US, and Korea, provided technical support to top teams in the Amazon Robotics Challenge, provided an AI learning simulator to Honda, and oversaw NEDO's cloud robotics development. He is currently developing the humanoid AI platform "LUDENS." He was a lecturer at Stanford University's 2018 AI Special Lecture and a former visiting researcher at the University of Electro-Communications. He is also the representative of the Japan branch of the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance.

【 host 】

Marika Amano |

As a reporter, he has been involved in on-site reporting on natural disasters, crimes, and politics, and later worked as a director and news desk for news programs. Based on his past experiences, he is currently exploring the nature of communication that connects space and society.

[Recommended for these people]
Those who have a strong interest in space and AI
People interested in space-related startups and JAXA technology
People involved in robotics, image recognition, natural language processing, etc.
Those who want to understand space migration from the perspective of user interaction and human interface
Seeking cross-disciplinary ideas and colleagues

■ Sphear past event reports now available!
https://note.com/sphear
*Each article is a fascinating read that covers what was said during the presentations and panel discussions. Please take a look.

Venue