Tag: JAXA
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JAXA Epsilon fails on sixth flight carrying RAISE-3 and others
Epsilon launched from the Mu Pad at the Uchinoura Space Center in Japan at 00:50 UTC on Oct. 12. This launch marked the sixth flight of JAXA’s Epsilon rocket, and the launch vehicle was to loft a rideshare mission into orbit consisting of RAISE-3 and numerous other satellites. Live coverage by JAXA of the launch…
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SpaceX Crew-5 mission docks with ISS
SpaceX and NASA have launched a group of four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Crew-5 mission. The crew flew atop a Falcon 9 rocket and the Crew Dragon Endurance spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center’s historic Launch Complex 39A on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 12:00:57 PM EDT (16:00:57 UTC). With…
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SpaceX and NASA in final preparations for Crew-5 mission
With the launch just weeks away, SpaceX, NASA, and their international partners are in final preparations for the fifth operational Crew Dragon mission. As part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP), Crew-5 will be SpaceX’s fifth long-duration crew mission, eighth overall crewed mission, and the first mission with a Russian Cosmonaut. Crew-5 will launch from…
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ISS in February: crew prepares for March arrivals, maintains science experiments, systems
The International Space Station (ISS) has emerged from the month of February 2022 on shakier ground than when it entered the month from a geopolitical standpoint based on events taking place 425 kilometers below it. Even with escalating tensions leading to the invasion of Ukraine, the month of February saw progress in the scientific experiments…
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Expedition 66 concludes 2021 with busy December aboard ISS
While many cultures celebrated their respective holiday traditions on Earth, the crew of the International Space Station (ISS) carried on with their busy schedules high above. December 2021 saw three major visiting vehicle movements, one spacewalk, and many of the research and maintenance tasks that allow the ISS to function as one of the world’s…
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Soyuz MS-20 space tourism flight docks with ISS
Roscosmos and Space Adventures has launched and docked the Soyuz MS-20 space tourism mission to the International Space Station for a 12-day stay. The crew of three—including two Japanese space tourists—are flying onboard the Soyuz spacecraft, with liftoff at 7:38 UTC (2:38 a.m. EST) Wednesday, December 8, 2021, from Site 31/6 at Baikonur Cosmodrome in…
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Japan’s Epsilon launches RAISE-2 and eight secondary satellites
Japan has finally launched its small satellite launcher Epsilon to deliver nine satellites to orbit. Notably, this includes the RAISE-2 technology demonstrator. Previously delayed due to weather and a scrub, the launch from Uchinoura Space Center occurred at 00:55 UTC on Nov. 9. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA’s) RAISE-2 was the primary payload aboard…
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SpaceX given green light to launch Crew-3 mission to ISS, Crew-2’s return date set
Having completed the Flight Readiness Review for the United States Crew Vehicle 3 (USCV-3) mission, NASA, ESA, JAXA, and SpaceX teams have given the green light for Crew-3 to launch on October 31 at 02:21 EDT (06:21 UTC) and for Crew-2 to return to Earth no earlier than November 4. Crew-3 will mark SpaceX’s fifth…
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Japan launches H-IIA with QZS-1R satellite
Japan’s H-IIA rocket launched on October 26 at 02:19 UTC from LA-Y1 at the Tanegashima Space Center, carrying the QZS-1R satellite. This was 44th launch of the H-IIA rocket for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). For the mission, the H-IIA launched in the 202 configuration. QZS-1R The QZS-1R satellite will…
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BepiColombo completes first Mercury flyby, science provides insight into planet’s unique environment
On October 1, 2021, the joint European Space Agency (ESA) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) BepiColombo spacecraft successfully performed its first flyby of the solar system’s innermost planet, Mercury. The flyby is the first in a set of six such events BepiColombo will complete before entering orbit around Mercury in late 2025. Following the…