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| Image of recovery vessel aboard command vessel (Image: NYK) |
On July 24, 2025, NYK obtained Approval in Principle (AiP) from ClassNK for a conceptual unmanned offshore system designed to land and recover reusable rocket first stages—the classification society’s first AiP for a space-related vessel system.
The concept—advanced under JAXA’s Space Strategy Fund with input from partners including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries—was presented alongside a 3D model at an NYK press briefing. NYK is targeting a demonstration in FY2028 while it refines vessel type, organization, and recovery processes.
How it works: The system pairs a DP-equipped unmanned recovery vessel that holds station for the landing with a command vessel that secures the stage and escorts it back to port. The recovery vessel operates fully unmanned during retrieval.
Japan’s limited land area is spurring interest in offshore recovery, and NYK sees business opportunities from linking maritime logistics with space operations.
Source: NYK press release, July 24, 2025. Single-source: verified.