NX Group invests in "ElevationSpace," a company developing space-to-Earth transport services

　NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC. (President: Satoshi Horikiri), on June 11 acquired a stake in ElevationSpace Inc. (Co-Founder/CEO: Ryohei Kobayashi; hereinafter “ElevationSpace”), a company engaged in the space environment utilization and retrieval platform businesses, as an investment for the NX Global Innovation Investment Limited Partnership.

■Profile of ElevationSpace

 　ElevationSpace is a startup working to develop services for the retrieval and return to Earth of goods researched, tested, and manufactured in space, with the vision of “building a transport network connecting people and goods in orbit.”

 　The company is developing the "ELS-R," a small capsule that integrates experiments in a microgravity environment with retrieval and return to Earth, as well as the "ELS-RS," a dedicated capsule designed to transport supplies from future private space stations to Earth at high frequency. Additionally, ElevationSpace plans to launch Aoba, Japan’s first private-sector re-entry satellite, in or after the second half of 2026.

■Background and purpose of the investment

　 The space industry is forecast to see significant growth in the future, driven not only by the utilization of satellites but also by the expansion of new applications deriving from research, testing, and manufacturing in space. However, mechanisms for returning deliverables and other goods obtained in space back to Earth remain limited, posing a critical challenge to the expansion of space utilization.

 　Furthermore, with the International Space Station (ISS) scheduled to end operations at the end of 2030, there is a growing need to develop new transport infrastructure that anticipates the future use of private space stations. Against this backdrop, the “ELS-R” and “ELS-RS” systems being developed by ElevationSpace are expected to serve as the foundation for supporting the retrieval and transport of cargo from space to Earth.

 　The NX Group is endeavoring to create new business opportunities in future growth areas to realize its long-term vision of becoming “a logistics company with a strong presence in the global market.”

 　The Group anticipates the advent of an era where deliverables and other goods researched, tested, and manufactured in space will be returned to Earth and transported to destinations both domestically and internationally. Developing this space industry mandates the establishment of global supply chains that encompass everything from launch preparation to retrieval and conveyance after Earth return.

 　Through this investment, the NX Group hopes to contribute to the space industry’s sustainable development by leveraging the end-to-end solution expertise the Group has cultivated globally and exploring seamless transport methods that connect space and Earth.

■Details of the initiative

1.Collaboration to establish the “last mile” of space logistics

  With a view to the full-scale operation of "ELS-R" and "ELS-RS," the NX Group and ElevatorSpace will jointly explore logistics models that connect space and Earth, aiming to establish a "last-mile" service for space logistics and to handle pre- and post-launch transport, the conveyance of retrieved items after re-entry, and delivery to final destinations.

 2.Provision of logistics capabilities and expertise

  Leveraging the expertise it has cultivated domestically and internationally in areas such as import/export customs clearance, temperature and impact control, transport and distribution, and international logistics, the NX Group will support the development of seamless transport schemes tailored to space cargo, fully committed to advancing logistics capabilities in order to ensure that the results of research, experiments, and manufacturing conducted in space are delivered safely and reliably to Earth.

 3. Support for ElevationSpace’s logistics infrastructure development

  With an eye toward future business expansion, the NX Group will also leverage its global network to provide support for production logistics and the development of logistics infrastructure both domestically and internationally.

 　The NX Group will continue generating new social value through co-creation with domestic and international startups, thereby assisting in the development of next-generation industries and the realization of sustainable societies.

■Comment from an ElevationSpace representative

Ryohei Kobayashi, Co-Founder/CEO, ElevationSpace Inc. 

 “I am deeply encouraged and delighted to welcome the NX Group, a leader in global logistics, as our partner. By combining our retrieval and transport technology that brings goods produced in space back to Earth with the NX Group’s advanced logistics expertise, we will expand the possibilities of an end-to-end transport model that seamlessly connects space and Earth. Using this pioneering initiative as a springboard, we will accelerate the construction of a transport network connecting people and goods in orbit, helping to bring about a world where anyone can live in space as well as the development of sustainable space supply chains.”

Koji Ao, General Manager, Corporate Venturing Division, NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC. 

 “With the space industry expected to grow, we believe that systems for delivering space-generated deliverables and other goods to Earth will become increasingly important. ElevationSpace is tackling the critical field of retrieval and transport from space to Earth, and we see great potential in their efforts. We hope through this investment to deepen our collaboration and contribute to the development of a sustainable space industry.”

•  Profile of investee