My portrait in 2022.

Masafumi Imai

Research Scientist

Department of Space Physics

Institute of Atmospheric Physics

The Czech Academy of Sciences

Bocni II 1401, 14100 Prague 4, Czechia



Research Projects

Photo of celebrating the arrival of Juno at Jupiter in 20216.

NASA Juno mission to Jupiter (2016-)

Since 2016, the Juno spacecraft has orbited Jupiter. In 2021, I was appointed a co-investigator on the Juno mission, with research interests in Jovian auroras and atmospheric discharges.

Photo of LWA antennas in Niyodo on October 4, 2021.

LWA-Niyodo (2020-)

Utilizing eight bow-tie antennas called LWA antennas, we are now building a new low-frequency radio telescope in Niyodogawa-cho, Kochi, Japan. Since 2024, we have been performing some observations for the low-frequency radio astronomy.

Autoplot retrieving LWA1 Jupiter data.

LWA Jupiter Data Server (2020-)

LWA stands for Long Wavelength Array, organized by the University of New Mexico. With the approved 11 LWA proposals, we collected a gigantic data for Jupiter radio observations from LWA-1 and LWA-Sevilleta stations. Via das2 server, we are providing these data to the community, which can be handled with Autoplot.

Photo of a SDR experiment with KOSEN-1 Jupiter dipole antenna in 2021.

KOSEN-1 CubeSat Mission (2019-)

KOSEN-1 is the first CubeSat developed by 10 colleges of National Institute of Technology, Japan. We are in charge of developing Jupiter Radio Receiver System and operating its CubeSat from the ground-tracking stations after the successful launch on November 9, 2021.

Photo of BBM, EM, and FM of KOSEN-2 Mission Instrument Control Component.

KOSEN-2R CubeSat Mission (2020-)

KOSEN-2R is a 2U CubeSat updated after KOSEN-2. KOSEN-2R was successfully launched on April 23, 2026. We designed and tested the Mission Instrument Control and Assisted Components, which allow to control USB devices and use a Tiny 2040 microcontroller.

ESA Juice mission to Jupiter's icy moons (2026-)

Juice will explore Jupiter's icy moons in 2030s. One of the instruments onboard is the Radio and Plasma Wave Investigation (RPWI) instrument, and its sub-component called the Low Frequency Receiver was built by the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences. In 2026, I became a co-investigator as a Juice/RPWI team member.



Education Projects

Concept of offering three programs in space engineering for all KOSEN students.

KOSEN Education in Space Engineering (2020-2024)

In the scope of all student participants in 51 colleges of KOSEN, we have been offering a various kinds of space education programs, including KOSEN space academia, KOSEN CubeSat development and operation and all KOSEN space contest. These programs cover various student level from beginners to experts.