Eiji Itakura
Captain and Group Manager of Mothership Project Group
Frontier Research Center
Toyota Motor Corporation

Abstract:
In the near future, many of the developed countries are likely to face Energy & Environment challenges, and increase in the social debt. Japan is likely to be "top runner" in facing such challenges.

We are considering a novel solution to address these challenges using the "Westerly Jet Stream" above Japan. Westerly jet stream is high density, endless energy source, just 10 km above the ground, resulting due to heat transfer from tropical to pole, inducing air convection (physics) and earth shape, size and rotation (Occasional luck).

"Mothership" is a visionary futuristic novel project, in which we are proposing to use a large tethered inflatable structure kite, that utilizes the “Westerly Jet Stream" to float at high altitude and offer many societal benefits, i.e. harvest energy, “sky crane” to move heavy payload in remote areas, communication relay station to help the satellite above clouds. We believe the envisioned "Mothership" project shows large potential to induce many new industries and ventures by offering innovative solutions.

Our global team consist of members from Toyota research centers in Japan, United States and Europe who are working on actual engineering development. We will share our vision of “Mothership”, current progress and remaining challenges.

About the speaker...
My name is Eiji Itakura and I am Captain and group manager of the Mothership Project in Frontier Research Center in Toyota Motor Corporation. I graduated from Kyoto University in 1988 with a Bachelor’s Degree and in 1990 with a Master Degree of Aeronautical Engineering. At that time my research team, Rarefied Gas Dynamics, found thermal creep flow characteristics and published a paper on the analytical method of Poiseuille and Thermal Creep Flow of any Knudsen number in JVSJ.

I took about ten years as a research engineer and reciprocating aircraft engine designer of Toyota from 1990 and experienced its Type Certification and Production Certification missions as a Toyota local representative to work with the FAA in the U.S. for three years. After manager promotion I experienced physics model based engine control and designing and prototyping full carbon monocoque cabins of Lexus Sports LFA.

I started “Mothership Project” in 2018 as a captain, project leader and group manager ‘from scratch’. I presented my project in AWEC2019. I wanted to be an astronaut, still I like Space and of course Aircrafts. My hobby is customizing old cars. I have spent lots of my money, almost the same as buying the most expensive new Lexus car.