Unseenlabs’ BRO-22 Successfully Launched Aboard Japan’s H3 Launch Vehicle
Rennes, France – June 15, 2026 – Unseenlabs has successfully launched BRO-22, the first satellite operated by a foreign private company to fly aboard Japan’s H3 Launch Vehicle. BRO-22 was launched at 09:53 a.m. (UTC+9) Japan Standard Time on June 12 from the Yoshinobu Launch Complex at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Tanegashima Space Center. The satellite was integrated by Space BD. BRO-22 strengthens Unseenlabs’ space-based RF detection constellation dedicated to maritime surveillance.
Building on the collaborative achievements of Unseenlabs and Space BD, including the Memorandum of Understanding signed in April 2026, this launch will further strengthen the partnership between the two companies. Furthermore, marking the first of many to come, Unseenlabs anticipates that its constellation will also be carried by the H3 rocket in the future.
“This collaboration with Space BD and JAXA is important for Unseenlabs. Japan is a strategic partner for France, and also for Unseenlabs. We are pleased to launch BRO-22 aboard Japan’s H3 rocket and to work with Space BD and JAXA on this mission. This launch is another step in the development of our constellation and supports our goal of providing reliable RF data for maritime surveillance worldwide,” said Clément Galic, CEO and Co-Founder of Unseenlabs.
As Unseenlabs is already established in the Asia-Pacific region, with an office and team in Singapore, this collaboration with Space BD and JAXA reflects Unseenlabs’ commitment to the region and the company’s understanding of maritime surveillance challenges.
BRO-22 is a Gen 1 satellite in the Unseenlabs constellation. Like the rest of the constellation, it is based on the company’s exclusive monosatellite technology, meaning it is designed to operate independently from the other satellites.
BRO-22 will be dedicated to maritime surveillance using radio frequency (RF) detection. It will detect RF signals emitted by vessels at sea, further enhancing Unseenlabs’ ability to detect, geolocate, and characterize ships, including those not visible through traditional monitoring systems such as AIS.
RF data collected by Unseenlabs’ satellites helps detect and monitor maritime activity including undeclared, suspicious, and illegal operations such as:
- IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing,
- ocean dumping,
- operations near critical infrastructure.
Over the coming months, Unseenlabs will launch its first Gen 2 satellites, further enhancing RF signal detection capabilities and expanding the company’s RF applications across sea, land, and space.
About Unseenlabs
Founded in 2015, Unseenlabs is a France-based company with an office in Singapore and a team in the U.S. The company operates space-based radio frequency (RF) detection capabilities for maritime domain awareness. Its customers include governments, NGOs, public institutions, and private stakeholders in the maritime sector worldwide. Unseenlabs employs about 130 people and is a global leader in space-based RF detection. In 2026, Unseenlabs will launch its first Gen 2 satellite, expanding its capabilities from maritime surveillance to multi-domain awareness, covering sea, land, and space monitoring.
About Space BD
Space BD is a Japanese one-stop service provider of various solutions to foster commercial utilization of space. Ranging from launch of small satellites with commercial launchers as well as via the International Space Station, to supporting pharmaceutical research with protein crystallization in microgravity, Space BD can support everything from business plan formulation and market research to hands-on technical operations. As of January 2026, the company has supported over 100 satellite projects and more than 620 space experiment missions.
Source: Unseenlabs
