Kyoto heritage site to launch ‘space temple’ in 2023

The UNESCO World Heritage Site Daigoji temple in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, announced Monday that Terra Space Inc., a Kyoto-based firm it established in February last year, is developing a “space temple” that will be installed a box-shaped satellite measuring 20 centimeters long, 30 centimeters wide and 10 centimeters deep, according to the company.

Miniature mandala paintings and a statue of the Buddha will be enshrined inside one of the satellite’s compartments, and regular memorial services will be conducted.

The project also aims to build a communications network that could be used to help other temples in remote mountainous areas with disaster prevention preparedness. If everything goes according to plan, the satellite will orbit the Earth once every 1½ hours, transmitting image data captured from an altitude of about 500 kilometers.

Describing the motivations behind the project, Junei Nakada, 56, executive manager of Daigoji, said, “We thought it was necessary to have a temple that could transcend region, race, and religion to pray for world peace and security from the bigger perspective available in space.”