Mission Possible: The Stories of Us
Description
Mission Possible: The Stories of Us celebrates the people whose ideas, determination, and collaboration have made great space missions possible—and explores what the next chapter of Australia–Japan space collaboration could look like.
This event series takes place in Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, and Sydney, bringing together specialists from Japan and Australia to explore how collaborative teams are built through shared purpose, personal connection, and a common curiosity about space.
The event forms part of the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the Australia–Japan Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation and provides an opportunity to celebrate the strong and growing partnership between Australia and Japan in space science, exploration, education, and innovation.
Rather than a traditional lecture, the event combines short mission briefings with moderated conversations, providing audiences with a unique insight into the science, leadership, innovation and international collaboration that make ambitious space missions possible.
Consul General of Japan in Melbourne, Tokuro Furuya, will open the evening with remarks, followed by mission briefings and a moderated panel discussion featuring distinguished speakers from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and the University of Tsukuba.
JOIN US for this opportunity to celebrate the strong and growing partnership between Australia and Japan in space science, exploration, education, and innovation, and start the celebration of National Science Week!
Lineup
Dr. Masaki Fujimoto
Masaki Fujimoto is the Director General of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and Vice-President of JAXA. A planetary scientist by training, Dr. Fujimoto joined ISAS/JAXA in 2006 as Professor in the Department of Solar System Sciences. His research focuses on the origin and evolution of planetary systems. He has played leading roles in many of Japan's flagship planetary exploration missions, including the Hayabusa2 capsule recovery operation in Woomera, Australia, in 2020. He is also a founding member of the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission, which aims to return the first-ever samples from Phobos, one of Mars' moons. Dr. Fujimoto has been instrumental in building international collaborations, including Japan's participation in ESA's BepiColombo mission to Mercury, the JUICE mission to the Jovian system, and most recently the RAMSES, planetary defence mission to asteroid Apophis. Becoming Director General in April 2025, he is driving reforms to strengthen ISAS's agile mission development, increase opportunities for innovation, and empower the next generation of scientists and engineers under the principles of "Do what it takes" and "Give it a shot."
Prof. Masafumi Muratani
Masafumi Muratani is Professor at the Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, where he leads research in space life sciences, genomics, and AI-driven biomedical data science. He serves as Principal Investigator of JAXA's flagship mission Astronaut Digital Twins and leads the JSPS Grant Life in Space, Japan's national interdisciplinary research programme exploring how life adapts to the space environment. Originally trained in molecular biology and genomics, Professor Muratani has pioneered the application of multi-omics technologies and laboratory automation to human health and disease. His current research integrates astronaut biospecimens, induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, and artificial intelligence to develop digital twins for predicting individual health risks during long-duration space missions. Professor Muratani has established extensive international collaborations with space agencies and research organizations, including JAXA, NASA and ESA. His work aims to bridge space medicine, precision medicine, and AI to advance human exploration of the Moon and Mars while translating discoveries from space research into healthcare innovations on Earth.
Ms. Pearly Pandya
Pearly’s aspirations to contribute to the space industry began during her early childhood, inspired by the space shuttle launches and her experience at the prestigious Florida Governor’s School at NASA Kennedy Space Center. She has conducted space medicine research, supported in-space biomedical manufacturing initiatives, and is now leading Axiom Space's global business efforts in the Asia region. In her current role, Pearly is enabling access to low-Earth orbit for international governments, industries, and researchers. Pearly played a key role in the foundational discussions for the historic ISRO-NASA joint human spaceflight effort, Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4). She seeks to bridge her professional experiences in both the space and healthcare sectors, as she continues to bridge her own two worlds as an Indian-born first-generation American immigrant. Pearly received her B.S. Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology and M.S. Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University.
Prof. Yuichi Tsuda
Yuichi Tsuda received his Ph.D. degree in aeronautics and astronautics from University of Tokyo in 2003, and joined Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in 2003 as a research associate. He became an associate professor in 2014, and a professor in 2020 of ISAS/JAXA. He was a visiting scholar of Dept. of Aerospace Engineering, University of Michigan and Dept. of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder in 2008-2009. He was the deputy lead of the IKAROS, the world’s first interplanetary solar sail mission in 2009-2013. He played the leadership role in the Hayabusa2 mission, an asteroid sample-return mission as Project Engineer from 2007 to 2015 and Project Manager from 2015 to 2025, leading to the complete success of the sample return from asteroid Ryugu. He is currently Deputy Director General of ISAS. His research field includes astrodynamics, spacecraft system and solar system exploration.
Kate Kitagawa (Host)
Kate Kitagawa specializes in space education and is currently a Professor of Practice in Space Research and Education at La Trobe University, as well as a Program Lead for Space Biology at the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science in Melbourne, Australia. Before taking on her current roles, Kate was an advisor to the Senior Vice President of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and served as Director of JAXA's Space Education Office. As Director, she led the development of digital learning modules and collaborated with creative studios to produce innovative educational tools. Additionally, Kate chaired the International Space Education Board (ISEB) at the 2023 International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Azerbaijan, a global initiative involving NASA, JAXA, CSA, ESA, KARI, AEM, and other agencies. With a multidisciplinary background in mathematics and life sciences (B.Sc., University of British Columbia) and a Ph.D. in history from Princeton University, Kate brings over a decade of teaching and research experience at universities across the US, UK, Germany, and South Africa. She is the co-author of The Secret Lives of Numbers: A Global History of Mathematics & Its Unsung Trailblazers, which was shortlisted for the 2024 British Academy Book Prize. Kate also occasionally works as a broadcaster, appearing on television, online news, and in documentary films to share her expertise on science, history, and space.
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