The Space Activities Commission on Monday compiled a draft report that includes the promotion of commercial use as well as scientific and technological research at a Japanese laboratory to be built within the International Space Station, commission officials said.
The draft, compiled by the commission's space environment utilization group, said the National Space Development Agency of Japan will decide on how to enable private companies to use the lab for commercial purposes, such as multimedia, advertising and recreation projects as well as scientific research. The move is in line with similar moves in the United States and European countries that are also participating in the space station project, the officials said.
The draft also pointed out that the selection system for astronauts is subject to future investigation.
The draft indicated the possibility of science researchers actually going to the space lab to conduct experiments there and also of sending researchers in the arts, humanities and social sciences as well.
The lab will be launched between 2004 and 2005 and attached to the space station, to which the first full-time residents of the orbiting station were sent earlier this month. Space station commander William Shepherd, 51, a former U.S. Navy pilot, Soyuz commander Yuri Gidzenko, 38, and flight engineer Sergei Krikalev, 42, will stay for 31/2 months on the Russian-built Zvezda (Star) service module to continue work on building the space station, which is to be completed in 2006.