Mitsubishi Electric has completed the construction of a new satellite component production facility at its Kamakura Works' Sagami Factory site in Sagamihara, Japan.

Set to be operational by October, the new facility is expected to double the satellite component production capacity at the site.

Built with a JPY3bn ($27m) investment, the 7,428m² facility will produce and test the solar array panels, structural panels and other satellite components manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric.

It is also equipped with a 56kW solar-powered system, a heat pump air-conditioning system, 1,200 LED lights and energy-management system in order to ensure its environment-friendly aspect.

"The new facility is expected to double the satellite component production capacity at the site."

According to Mitsubishi Electric, the newly completed facility will feature various advanced manufacturing machines, including high-precision machining equipment and automated welding machines, which will enable the factory to double its production capacity.

An integrated production process will also help the facility to increase its efficiency, while reducing production time and costs.

Mitsubishi Electric is currently developing a new satellite production facility, which is scheduled to be completed by July 2019 at the company’s Kamakura Works site.

In April, the company announced its plan to invest around JPY11bn ($99m) to build a new facility to produce satellites at the Kamakura Works complex.

Together with Mitsubishi Electric’s existing plants, the new facility will increase the company’s capacity to produce 18 satellites in parallel, up from the current ten satellites in parallel.

Image: Rendition of Mitsubishi Electric’s new facility at Sagami Factory, Japan. Photo: courtesy of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation.