Tag: Japan
-
Japanese cargo craft departs space station
The HTV 6 supply ship leaves the International Space Station on Friday. Credit: NASA TV/Spaceflight Now Japan’s sixth HTV supply ship departed the International Space Station on Friday and headed for a destructive re-entry over the South Pacific with trash and disused batteries from the research lab, but engineers will first use the spacecraft for…
-
Japan puts its first military communications satellite into orbit
The H-2A rocket’s four solid rocket boosters and LE-7A main engine are seen firing seconds after liftoff Tuesday. The rocket flew in the rarely-used most powerful “204” configuration designed to loft heavier cargo. Credit: NVS on YouTube A Japanese H-2A rocket took off Tuesday with a communications satellite to relay messages and commands among the…
-
Japanese H-IIA rocket launches DSN-2 military satellite
Japan has conducted the launch of the DSN-2 military communications satellite on Tuesday via its H-IIA rocket. Liftoff from the Tanegashima was on schedule at 16:44 local time (07:44 UTC), which was the opening of a 78-minute launch window. The spacecraft was successfully deployed. Japanese Launch: Tuesday’s mission was Japan’s second dedicated commercial launch, following…
-
H-2A rocket primed for launch of Japanese military communications satellite
File photo of an H-2A rocket on its launch pad at Tanegashima Space Center, Japan. The rocket slated to launch the DSN 2 satellite will fly in the same “204” configuration with four solid rocket boosters. Credit: JAXA The first communications satellite dedicated to support Japanese military forces will launch Tuesday on top of an…
-
Japanese spacecraft spots planet-spanning wave on Venus
In these images from Japan’s Akatsuki spacecraft, a stationary bow wave is seen on Venus over several days in December 2015. Credit: JAXA Images from Japan’s Akatsuki spacecraft have revealed a gigantic wave in the atmosphere of Venus, and scientists say it may be the largest such feature in the solar system. The bow-shaped wave…
-
Experimental flight of Japanese sounding rocket falls short of orbit
Credit: JAXA A small research rocket launched from Japan fell into the Pacific Ocean on Saturday after attempting to send a student-built CubeSat into orbit, Japanese officials said. The three-stage rocket took off at 2333 GMT (6:33 p.m. EST) Saturday from the Uchinoura Space Center in southern Japan’s Kagoshima prefecture, four days after inclement weather…
-
Launch of experimental Japanese rocket scrubbed
The SS-520-4 launcher is in position for liftoff in this photo from the Uchinoura Space Center taken Monday. Credit: JAXA The launch of an experimental fin-stabilized Japanese rocket with a shoebox-sized CubeSat was scrubbed Tuesday, pushing back a test flight to demonstrate how companies and institutions can inexpensively put small satellites in space. The modified…
-
Arianespace nets two commercial launch contracts
File photo of an Ariane 5 rocket on its launch pad at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Photo Optique Video du CSG – P. Piron Arianespace has opened the year with two contracts to deliver commercial television and broadband satellites to orbit aboard Ariane 5 rockets launched from French…
-
Photos: Arianespace caps 2016 campaign with successful Ariane 5 flight
The Ariane 5 rocket’s 90th launch Wednesday carried two communications satellites to orbit to join the fleets of Embratel Star One and SKY Perfect JSAT, regional space-based telecom providers in Brazil and Japan. The 180-foot-tall (55-meter) rocket blasted off at 2030 GMT (3:30 p.m. EST; 5:30 p.m. French Guiana time) Wednesday from the European-run Guiana…
-
Watch Ariane 5 launch with Star One D1 and JCSAT 15
Watch a replay of the launch of an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana carrying the Star One D1 and JCSAT-15 communications satellites. Video: Arianespace.