Abstract
The paper overviews recent enlarging research and development activities of Japanese universities especially in the field of nano-satellites and hybrid rockets. Development of real satellites or rockets and actually launching them provides excellent materials for space engineering education as well as project management, which is rather difficult to teach in usual class lectures. In addition, it may lead to a new way of space development with its cheap and quick access to space. In order to support these kinds of student oriented activities, “University Space Engineering Consortium (UNISEC)” was founded in 2002, which has had large effect of further facilitating these students' space related activities. Significance and history of such activities is reviewed with focus on University of Tokyo as one example, followed by the objectives and future vision of UNISEC with some discussion how such activities will contribute to the actual space development and utilization.
