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Sakai Lab
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The lab that steers satellites and spacecraft exactly as intended, using magnetic forces and landing guidance.
AboutAbout the lab
Controlling satellites and spacecraft exactly as intended
Sakai Lab studies spacecraft, such as satellites and space probes, from the perspective of control.
The lab works on technology that uses magnetic force to maintain the relative positions and attitudes of satellites, and on landing guidance for touching down at targeted locations on the Moon and planets.
The lab is located at the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), JAXA, in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, and is a cooperative lab of the Department of Advanced Energy.
Key terms
- Spacecraft
- Spacecraft: a collective term for machines built for use in space, such as satellites and space probes
- Flux pinning
- Flux pinning: a property of superconductors in which they trap a magnet's magnetic field lines and hold on to them. It can be used to hold positions without contact
- Rendezvous and docking
- Rendezvous and docking: in space, two vehicles approach and meet (rendezvous) and then join together (docking)
NewsLab news
Prof. Sakai received the FY2025 (Reiwa 7) Prize for Science and Technology (Research Category) from the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
A master's student received an Excellence Award at the Student Session of the 68th Space Sciences and Technology Conference
ResearchResearch themes
The lab studies satellites and spacecraft from the perspective of control. Its work includes control of spacecraft using magnetic force, landing guidance and control for the Moon and planets, and control to suppress the vibration of satellites with long wire antennas.
*Illustrative imageAutomated docking for sample return
In collaboration with overseas labs, the lab is designing an automated rendezvous and docking system for bringing back samples from celestial bodies with gravity. It designs and evaluates a system that uses electrostatic force to control the state of the sample container.
*Illustrative imageSuppressing vibration with magnetism
For next-generation space telescopes, the lab proposes a new vibration suppression mechanism that magnetically connects the observation instrument section to the satellite body. Using flux pinning, the two parts maintain each other's position and attitude without contact.
*Illustrative imageDesigning satellites that fly in formation using magnetism
This research uses magnetic force to make multiple small satellites fly in formation, building large space systems such as distributed space antennas. Because the approach does not rely on propellant, a long lifetime is expected, but it consumes electric power, so the lab designs the satellites and their motion while balancing control and communication.
*Illustrative imagePrecise magnetic control at close range
Magnetic force weakens sharply as distance increases, so satellites must be moved precisely at close range. Taking the complex near-field magnetic field into account, the lab designs position and attitude controllers that can compute in real time onboard the satellite.
MembersFaculty
The members of Sakai Lab consist of faculty, secretaries, and doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- Visiting ProfessorShinichiro Sakai
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “TDX-Formation” DLR / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- Automated docking for sample return: “ISS-10 Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft docked to the Pirs Docking Compartment” NASA / Public domain (cropped)
- Suppressing vibration with magnetism: “Levitation of a magnet on a superconductor” Julien Bobroff (user:Jubobroff), Frederic Bouquet (user:Fbouquet), Jeffrey Quilliam, LPS, Orsay, France / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Designing satellites that fly in formation using magnetism: “ISS-51 CubeSat deployment - Three space weather CubeSats (1)” NASA / Public domain (cropped)
- Precise magnetic control at close range: “Endeavour docked to ISS” NASA/Paolo Nespoli / Public domain (cropped)
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