Voices of Jelper Club Members — Koichi Kimoto, Stanford University ’28

This time, we spoke with Koichi Kimoto, a second-year undergraduate at Stanford University studying Aeronautics and Astronautics with a strong focus on space engineering. His passion for space began with a high school physics teacher who introduced him to model rockets—an experience that later led him to work on a CubeSat-sized satellite project and ultimately pursue astronautics in the U.S.

In this interview, Koichi shares why he chose Stanford over other top engineering schools, what he’s working on in Stanford’s rocketry team, and how his planetary science research is tackling real mission-like constraints around Saturn’s moon Enceladus. He also talks about how he discovered Jelper Club through a senior—and offers a message to others in the small but growing Japanese aerospace community worldwide.

Koichi Kimoto

―― First, could you please introduce yourself?

Koichi: Nice to meet you. My name is Koichi Kimoto. I’m currently a Sophomore at Stanford University studying Aeronautics and Astronautics. Within the major, I’m more interested in the space engineering side.

As for what I’m doing now, I’m part of Stanford’s rocketry team. There’s an international rocketry competition that takes place around the end of spring, and I’m working toward that. I’m on a sub-team building a solid-motor rocket, and I’m also involved in technical work like flight code.

I’m also doing research in planetary science. Right now, I’m working on orbital optimization research related to Enceladus, one of Saturn’s moons.

―― Out of many universities, why did you choose Stanford University?

Koichi: When I applied, my main options were Stanford, Georgia Tech, and Columbia. Columbia didn’t really have an Aeronautics and Astronautics major, so if I went there, I would have studied mechanical engineering instead. Since I wanted to focus on space engineering, I felt Stanford and Georgia Tech were the stronger fits.

Between those two, Stanford stood out for a few reasons. Academically, I was especially interested in areas like satellite systems and control within astronautics. Also, I had already connected with a senior student at Stanford, and I felt that being in a smaller, more interactive environment would make it easier to build strong relationships and learn from people around me.

Another important point was flexibility. I play classical guitar, and at Stanford I can take classes outside of engineering and stay involved with music as well. At some other schools, once you choose aerospace engineering, your coursework becomes much more fixed. That freedom mattered to me, so I chose Stanford.

―― What originally sparked your interest in space?

Koichi: It started in high school. My physics teacher really loved space science, and he introduced me to model rockets. He organized a project where we built model rockets and went to launch them outdoors. Seeing what we learned in physics actually work in real life made a big impact on me.

After that, I got involved in a project where we worked on a small satellite—specifically a CubeSat-sized satellite. Through that process, I became more fascinated by the challenge of space itself.

Space is a harsh environment where you face problems that don’t really exist on Earth. The process of figuring out how to overcome those constraints felt really interesting to me, and it made me want to keep studying astronautics.

―― Could you tell us more about your activities at Stanford so far?

Koichi: The main one is definitely the rocketry team. Last year, I was part of a different project within the same team that was trying to build a reusable rocket. But due to limitations in people and resources, that project ended up being canceled this year, so I moved into the current competition-focused project.

This summer, I stayed at Stanford and started the research I mentioned earlier, and I’m continuing it now.

―― What kind of research are you working on?

Koichi: It’s not rocket research specifically—it’s orbital mechanics and optimization research.

In my current project, we consider two spacecraft operating around Enceladus. The research explores what kinds of orbits would be optimal, and how we can model forces—like tidal effects driven by gravity—through the spacecrafts’ motion.

But beyond the theory, there are many real constraints you have to consider. For example, there are scenarios where a spacecraft could collide with Enceladus, or where communication could be lost if the moon blocks the line of sight. I’m working on how we can incorporate those kinds of conditions and still find an optimal solution.

―― How did you find out about Jelper Club?

Koichi: I found out from a senior from my high school. That was the first connection.

―― What has your experience been like using Jelper Club?

Koichi: I think there are interesting opportunities on the platform. For someone who wants to work in Japan, I think it’s a really good environment. You can build more direct relationships with companies, and you can even get messages from companies through things like DMs, so it feels like opportunities can come to you as well.

―― Lastly, do you have a message for other Jelper Club members or anyone reading this article?

Koichi: Aerospace engineering is still a relatively small community. So if there are people studying aerospace engineering at universities abroad—or people who are thinking about studying it or applying to graduate school in the future—I’d really like to connect.

It helps a lot to know each other’s situations and share information, especially for things like graduate school applications. So if that sounds like you, please reach out to me through Jelper Club chat. I’d be happy to talk anytime.

At Jelper Club, we’re committed to connecting ambitious students and graduates with unique opportunities across Japan and beyond. Whether you’re aiming for aerospace engineering like Koichi or exploring a different path, our platform helps you discover exclusive openings, access practical resources, and join a community of globally-minded peers. Register with Jelper Club today to expand your opportunities and connect with members worldwide.