The Starlab Station
After Mitsubishi Corporation, DigitalBlast becomes the second Japanese and Asian firm to book space on Starlab, advancing post-ISS utilization.
CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO, JAPAN, July 24, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — DigitalBlast, Inc. (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Shingo Horiguchi), a company that fosters growth in the space industry and the creation of novel businesses, announced today that it has entered into a Reservation Agreement for the commercial space station “Starlab” with Starlab Space LLC (headquartered in Houston, Texas, U.S.), the developer and operator of Starlab, and a signing ceremony was recently held.
● Overview of Reservation Agreement
Under this Reservation Agreement, DigitalBlast obtains an advance allocation of capacity on Starlab — the next-generation commercial station set to succeed the International Space Station (ISS), which is slated for retirement around 2030 — to deliver services that harness the space environment.
A Japanese firm signing a Starlab reservation agreement follows Mitsubishi Corporation’s announcement in January 2026, making DigitalBlast the second such entity in Japan and the Asia region. As commercial interest in low Earth orbit (LEO) rises heading into the post-ISS era, DigitalBlast will act as a user‑integration partner for R&D that practically applies the space environment, and will work to become one of the gateways through which companies and research institutions in Japan and the broader Asia region can access orbit.
● Signing Information
・Name of Agreement
Starlab Reservation Agreement
・Counterparty Entity
Starlab Space LLC (HQ: Houston, Texas, U.S.)
・Date of Signing
July 14, 2026
・Signing Parties
Shingo Horiguchi (President & CEO, DigitalBlast, Inc.)
Thomas E. Ayres (General Counsel, Starlab Space LLC)
●Planned Payload
・Onboard computing unit
A product under development by DigitalBlast based on “Orbital Data Center Construction Technology,” a theme adopted by the JAXA Space Strategic Fund (lead institution: SpaceBlast, Inc.).
● Details on the Starlab Space Station
・Station Name
Starlab
・Operating Entity
Starlab Space LLC
・Joint venture participants (listed without ranking)
A U.S.-led global joint venture among Voyager Technologies (NYSE: VO
