Europe and Japan are strengthening their cooperation in planetary defense: OHB CEO Marco Fuchs was in Berlin at the invitation of the European Space Agency (ESA) for the signing of cooperation agreements between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japanese space agency JAXA. The signing ceremony at the Italian Embassy was hosted by the ESA in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency (ASI).
With the signing of these agreements, ESA and JAXA reaffirm their strategic partnership in the field of planetary defense and formalize their collaboration on the RAMSES mission (Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety). The agreements were signed by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher and JAXA President Hiroshi Yamakawa in the presence of European and Japanese representatives from the fields of politics, research, and industry.
“Planetary defense isn’t decided on paper, but in practice,” said Marco Fuchs, CEO of OHB. “Missions like Hera and now RAMSES demonstrate that Europe is capable of carrying out asteroid missions to protect Earth quickly, reliably, and with a high level of technological maturity. The fact that ESA and JAXA are relying on proven industrial heritage for RAMSES and pooling their expertise sends a strong signal for effective international cooperation.”
The RAMSES mission is the first concrete operational outcome of the expanded ESA-JAXA cooperation. The launch is scheduled for 2028, with the aim of reaching the near-Earth asteroid (99942) Apophis about two months before its exceptionally close flyby of Earth in April 2029. With a diameter of about 375 meters, Apophis will pass Earth at a distance of only about 32,000 kilometers—closer than geostationary satellites. There is no risk of impact, but the event is extremely rare and of high scientific value.
During its flyby, the RAMSES probe will accompany the asteroid Apophis before, during, and after the close approach, studying how Earth’s gravitational pull affects its orbit, rotation, shape, and surface. The measurement data collected will provide crucial insights into the structure, composition, and behavior of large asteroids—information that is essential for the further development of future protection and defense strategies.
Technologically, RAMSES is based on the ESA’s Hera mission, which was developed and built by OHB System AG in just four years. This Hera heritage enables the RAMSES mission to be carried out in record time: the probe’s development, integration, and testing must be completed in just 3.5 years in order to reach the asteroid on schedule. ESA has commissioned OHB Italia as the prime contractor to build the spacecraft; parts of the probe are being built at OHB in Bremen.
With Hera and RAMSES, OHB is underscoring its leading role in the field of planetary defense. At the same time, the deepened collaboration between ESA and JAXA demonstrates how international partnerships translate technological excellence into concrete missions of strategic importance—for the security of Earth and the strengthening of European and international space expertise.
