Hidetaka AOKI
Space Evangelist
Co-Founder & Director
Space Port Japan

As a “Space Evangelist”, Hide Aoki has been working in Japan to promote the space business and create the private-sector-led space industry with his expertise in both the space business and space technology. After receiving a master's degree in aerospace engineering and a pilot's license in the U.S., he worked at Mitsubishi Electric, where he developed Japan's first spacecraft, Kounotori, and SLIM which is Japan's first lunar lander and won a number of awards. He also co-founded SPACETIDE Foundation, Japan’s first industry-wide platform for accelerating NewSpace activities and co-founded and serves as a director of Space Port Japan to promote spaceport business. He also serves JAXA and government committees in his varied career.