Can Japan rebound as a space power?

After a series of failed launches, Japan's space program seems to have lost both its footing and its morale

By CNN's Kristie Lu Stout

TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- In the final frontier, it seems the Japanese have lost ground. And now more than ever, a country burdened with a depressed economy needs a lift.

Once a promising space power, Japan is now the fallen star. The country has suffered from a string of aborted launches and botched satellite deals.

But Japan's National Space Development Agency, or NASDA, is gearing for a rebound as it prepares for this northern summer's H-II A rocket launch and a debut with the International Space Station in 2006.

"NASDA needs to show Japanese taxpayers and people in the world that the space program is very important to people," NASDA policy head Yuichi Yamaura told CNN.

"As a space agency, NASDA needs to plan new missions and space programs."

The agency is getting ready to launch its H-II A vehicle, a rocket designed for shooting small and medium sized satellites into space at an internationally competitive cost.

"We experienced two consecutive failures of the H-II A vehicle," said NASDA's Yamaura.

"Once we succeed in launching the H-II A, I think we can show the quality of Japanese space technology to the world."

International Space Station hopes

NASDA is also developing a transport module called Kibo, a Japanese name that translates into "Hope."

Kibo is NASDA's gift to the International Space Station, a huge manned research facility that will operate at 250 miles above Earth.

Japan, Canada, Russia, the U.S. and various European countries are building the station, which is scheduled to fly by 2006.

But space is an expensive business. So countries have to justify their space programs on the grounds that they spur innovation.

"That technology may be or could be used on the ground or applied to technologies on the ground, and people will get benefit from technology-side," said Yamaura.

Space exploration has long acted as a gauge of a nation's fortunes and failings. In that case, Japan has a lot at stake when the International Space Station is unveiled in 2006 -- the whole world will be watching.