Toyota, 3 major banks invest ¥8 billion to back space industry

Toyota’s decision is timely and admirable. If the government is reluctant to fund space programs, we have no choice but to rely on donations from the private sector. I hope the car manufacturer and the three mega banks will also finance the linear collider project.

So, during the pandemic and the worst economy in Japan since WW2, with people going hungry in Japan, with no jobs to be had, with bankruptcies abound, billions go to space travel. I see. This makes a lot of sense.

As advances in satellite technologies are needed for self-driving cars, Toyota is hoping to strengthen Japanese companies' technical capabilities through the investment.

Well between this and the whole lunar rover thing, it makes a lot of sense why Toyota would want to invest in this. And considering the fact that SpaceX successfully launched two astronauts from American soil a few weeks ago, I understand why there’s renewed interest in the space industry. Especially with dwindling resources here on earth, asteroid mining, and lunar mining are going to be big businesses in the near future.

climate going to pot...economies destroyed !what better time to invest in nonsensical space exploration!

JCosplayJune 26  10:08 am JST

As advances in satellite technologies are needed for self-driving cars, Toyota is hoping to strengthen Japanese companies' technical capabilities through the investment.

Well between this and the whole lunar rover thing, it makes a lot of sense why Toyota would want to invest in this. And considering the fact that SpaceX successfully launched two astronauts from American soil a few weeks ago, I understand why there’s renewed interest in the space industry. Especially with dwindling resources here on earth, asteroid mining, and lunar mining are going to be big businesses in the near future.

Here in America we have private companies build our military and space hardware, by contracts. What's happening with Toyota and the others working for JAXA makes perfect sense.

We will see tourists taking holidays in and private companies having a space presence, within our lifetimes.