Construction of Tokyo 2020 "G-SATELLITE" Completed

Will feature novelties promoting and enlivening the Tokyo 2020 Games, including transmission of

the first messages from space by the science fiction robots Gundam and Zaku

Tokyo, 3 December 2019 – The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) today announced the completion of its "G-SATELLITE Go to Space" satellite, which will orbit the earth during the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020. The miniature satellite’s payload will comprise two of Japan’s most popular animated characters – "Mobile Suite Gundam" and "Char’s Zaku". The satellite will be carried to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a supply ship in March 2020 and released from the ISS into its own earth orbit in April 2020.

Measuring just 10cm x 10cm x 30cm, the G-SATELLITE will orbit the earth for the duration of the Games.

In addition to a cubicle housing the two animated figures, it will contain a number of small cameras which

will record and transmit their images and an electric bulletin board which will be deployed once the

satellite is in orbit. The bulletin board will display messages about the Tokyo 2020 Games in English,

French and Japanese. The exterior front surface of the satellite will be coloured gold, inspired by a gold

medal, and will bear the words "G-SATELLITE TOKYO 2020".

The Gundam and Zaku figures needed to be cast in miniature in order to fit in the tiny satellite, and have

been produced using special materials and paints that can withstand the harsh environment of space.

These have undergone various tests, including vibration and impact assessments and tests reproducing

the effects of a vacuum. The eyes of the figures will glow on a white background in each of the colours

of the five Olympic rings during the Olympic Games and three Agitos colours during the Paralympic

Games and their heads will move.

An animated movie about this project has been released, featuring the announcement of the project in

May 2019, the "G-SATELLITE" manufacturing process and some of the activities the satellite will

undertake in earth orbit.

Project schedule (planned)

5 December 2019 The G-SATELLITE will be delivered to JAXA

Mid-March 2020 The G-SATELLITE will be launched and transported to the ISS aboard a supply

ship (actual date will depend on the ISS schedule of activities)

April 2020 The G-SATELLITE will be released from the ISS into earth orbit (actual date will

depend on the ISS schedule of activities)

Spring 2020 Voice messages by the fictional characters Amuro, the pilot of Gundam and

Char, the pilot of Zaku, will be transmitted from space to earth (in Japanese only).

The messages will be uploaded to the project website at:

https://participation.tokyo2020.jp/jp/oneteam/08.html

Spring 2020 A special video message from Amuro and Char to the winners of the Tokyo 2020

Twitter competition will be transmitted (in Japanese only).

Spring 2020 A special website will be launched showing the location of the G-SATELLITE in

orbit against a background of 3D images of the earth (with text in Japanese and

English).

May – July 2020 Live streaming of conversations between Amuro and Char while the satellite

passes over Japan; transcripts will be uploaded to the Tokyo 2020 official

YouTube channel(in Japanese only).

From July 2020 Messages of encouragement for the Tokyo 2020 Games displayed on the

electric bulletin board and video of Gundam and Char’s Zaku in orbit will be

transmitted via Tokyo 2020 social network channels (in English, French and

Japanese). A countdown project will commence on 14 July.

This initiative is part of the Tokyo 2020 One Team Project, launched in August 2017, in which Japan’s

leading creators, innovators and performers in a wide range of fields are being invited to express their

own interpretations of the vision for the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Specifications of G-SATELLITE and the Gundam and Char’s Zaku figures

• G-SATELLITE

Size: 10cm x 10cm x 34.5cm

Weight: 2.95kg

Materials: aluminium and others

• The Gundam and Char’s Zaku figures

Size: 50mm×80mm×90mm

Weight: 150g

Materials: Body: high temp resin

Minute part: polyether ether ketone (PEEK)

Shaft and screws: stainless steel

Arm block connectors: aluminium

Paint: Same materials as the original figures, plus inking

Coating: Anti-AO coating; flat coating (top)

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