The STAR SPHERE is a joint project designed to develop and operate a nano satellite, with Sony in the lead role, the University of Tokyo on board as a co-developer, and JAXA in an advisory role. Through a web-based app "EYE Connect" accessible via smartphone or computer, users can operate a photography simulator that controls a nano satellite with Sony camera to capture still shots and video of space and Earth with ease—and with no need for any specialized knowledge. Having launched the nano satellite "EYE" in January 2023, the project continued operations until its scheduled atmospheric reentry at the end of February 2025. With around 500 members of the public having experienced the service, STAR SPHERE has inspired artistic collaborations with contemporary artists, photographers, and VTubers and served as a framework for live-streaming events from space.
To put the extraordinary experience of space photography within everyday reach, designers created the Space Shooting Lab. Enabling users to simulate the process of getting breathtaking shots of the cosmos in an environment evoking a control room straight out of sci-fi cinema, the lab unifies atmosphere, interface, and devices into a cohesive experience.
The "EYE Connect" web app, also the work of the design team, allows anyone, anywhere to connect with space through a browser, controlling "EYE" with intuitive command and exploring views from the perspectives captured by viewers across the globe.