The 25-year-long operation of and observational data from the Experimental Geodetic Satellite (EGS) "AJISAI", which was launched on August 13, 1986 with the purpose of establishing Japan's geodetic reference system, were highly evaluated by the Geodetic Society of Japan, and on May 23, 2011 the Tsuboi Prize (Group Prize) was awarded to the "AJISAI" group.
The group is led by former space verification team project manager Eiichi Hashimoto and involves the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Japan Coast Guard (JCG), the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI), the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), and Hitotsubashi University. Hitotsubashi University participated through the research done by Associate Professor Toshimichi Otsubo of the Graduate School of Social Sciences.
The Tsuboi Prize of the Geodetic Society of Japan (Group Prize) is awarded to a group that has made outstanding contributions to geodetic studies, as organizational studies are particularly important in geodetic research.
