RoboCup JapanOpen 2026 @Space Challenge (1st Edition)

@Space Challenge is a competition designed to advance “AI × Space × Robotics” technologies for future on-orbit, lunar, and planetary development. It has been newly established as a category in the autonomous robotics competition “RoboCup Japan Open.”

In this first edition, mission scenarios will be based on Int-Ball2, the ISS robot developed by JAXA. By using JAXA’s Int-Ball2 Gazebo simulator, teams compete in tasks such as autonomous navigation, manipulation, and cooperative operations, expanding the foundation of space robotics development from both education and research perspectives. From the second edition onward, we aim to develop this into competitions using the actual Int-Ball2 on the ISS and to build benchmarks for autonomous space robots.

In addition to competition-related information sharing, we provide a community Discord server for technical exchange and development. Everyone is welcome regardless of whether they participate in the competition, so please feel free to join.

▶ Discord Server

In the first edition, we will hold the Competition, Technical Exchange, Open Category (competition proposals/demos), and Exhibition.

Competition: Autonomous support task for astronaut photography operations

1. Autonomous movement to the target position
   • Move autonomously from the docking station to the target position.
   • During movement, avoid standing astronauts.
2. Photography from multiple viewpoints
   • Detect the target object and capture it so that it is centered in the frame.
   • Take images from multiple specified viewpoints.
3. Autonomous return to the station
   • Again, avoid standing astronauts.
   • Return autonomously to the station and dock.

The competition has stages, and the difficulty is adjusted by increasing obstacles (astronauts).

• Stage 1 (Obstacles × 0)
• Stage 2 (Obstacles × 1)
• Stage 3 (Obstacles × 2)

We have prepared a tutorial article on running the Int-Ball2 Gazebo simulator for this competition. Please refer to the following first.

▶ Tutorial Article (Qiita)

An automatic scoring system is under development.

Item	Description	Score (Example)
Target Reach	Whether the robot reached the designated coordinates accurately	10 pts
Object Detection	Whether the target object was detected	10 pts
Object Imaging	Whether images were captured from multiple designated viewpoints	5 pts × 5 points
Autonomous Return	Return to station and successful docking	10 pts
Obstacle Avoidance	Whether obstacles were avoided along the route	10 pts × 2 times

To participate in @Space Challenge, the following two-step registration process is required.

Registration Flow

1. Register via the preliminary registration form
2. Receive your team number
3. Complete participation registration on the official JapanOpen website

1. Preliminary Registration (Get Team Number)

First, register using the form below to obtain your team number.

▶ Preliminary Registration Form

Preliminary registration deadline: March 15, 2026

* If you cannot complete preliminary registration by the deadline, please contact us individually.

2. Participation Registration

Please use the team number obtained in preliminary registration to complete participation registration on the website below.

▶ Participation Registration Page

Participation registration deadline: Friday, March 27, 2026

April 2026 Competition Schedule

RoboCup Japan Open (Shiga Daihatsu Arena)

• April 23–26: RoboCup Japan Open
• April 24: Setup
• April 25: Competition & Technical Exchange
• April 26: Open Category (competition proposals/demos)
• April 27: Exhibition, Awards Ceremony

Chair

• Hiroyuki Okada (Tokyo College of Information & Business)

Committee Members (alphabetical by surname)

• Amy Eguchi (University of California, San Diego)
• Yoshinobu Hagiwara (Soka University)
• Yuki Ikeda (JAXA)
• Tetsunari Inamura (Tamagawa University)
• Junji Nishino (Tamagawa University)
• Haruo Noma (Ritsumeikan University)
• Takeshi Ohashi (Kyushu Institute of Technology)
• Sho Oi (Osaka Institute of Technology)

The 43rd Annual Conference of the Robotics Society of Japan (RSJ2025)

Presentation Title	Authors	Abstract PDF
Concept of RoboCup JapanOpen @Space Challenge	Yoshinobu Hagiwara et al.	▶ Open Paper
Technology Demonstration with ISS Intra-vehicular Robot Int-Ball2 and Its Expansion to @Space Challenge	Yuki Ikeda et al.	▶ Open Paper

• Evolving free flight in microgravity: Int-Ball2 opens next-generation robotics technologies
• Int-Ball2 has departed for space!
• Initial checkout of Int-Ball2 is underway!
• Int-Ball2 autonomous flight and automatic docking demonstration succeeded
• Autonomous camera robot “Int-Ball2” completed on-orbit demonstration of a new functional expansion platform
• “ICHIBAN” international cooperation mission achieved the world’s first demonstration of coordination between independently developed robots