- published: 13 Jan 2016
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The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (独立行政法人宇宙航空研究開発機構, Dokuritsu-gyōsei-hōjin Uchū Kōkū Kenkyū Kaihatsu Kikō?, literally "Independent Administrative Institution on Aerospace Research and Development "), or JAXA, is Japan's national aerospace agency. Through the merger of three previously independent organizations, JAXA was formed on 1 October 2003, as an Independent Administrative Institution administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC). JAXA is responsible for research, technology development and the launch of satellites into orbit, and is involved in many more advanced missions, such as asteroid exploration and possible manned exploration of the Moon. Its motto is One JAXA and its corporate slogan is Reaching for the skies, exploring space.
On 1 October 2003, three organizations were merged to form the new JAXA: Japan's Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (or ISAS), the National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan (NAL), and National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA).