{"id":17892,"date":"2019-11-05T17:02:45","date_gmt":"2019-11-05T09:02:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/spaceflight-and-rocket-lab-will-put-a-japanese-shooting-star-satellite-into-orbit\/"},"modified":"2019-11-05T17:02:45","modified_gmt":"2019-11-05T09:02:45","slug":"spaceflight-and-rocket-lab-will-put-a-japanese-shooting-star-satellite-into-orbit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/spaceflight-and-rocket-lab-will-put-a-japanese-shooting-star-satellite-into-orbit\/","title":{"rendered":"Spaceflight and Rocket Lab will put a Japanese shooting-star satellite into orbit"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"ALE-2
An artist\u2019s conception shows the ALE-2 shooting-star satellite in orbit. (ALE \/ Spaceflight Illustration)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Seattle-based Spaceflight says it\u2019s handling the pre-launch logistics for a Japanese satellite that\u2019s designed to spray artificial shooting stars into the sky.<\/p>\n

Tokyo-based ALE\u2019s spacecraft is just one of seven satellites due to be sent into orbit from New Zealand as early as Nov. 25, aboard a Rocket Lab Electron launch vehicle.<\/p>\n

It\u2019ll be the 10th Electron launch, earning the nickname \u201cRunning Out of Fingers.\u201d It\u2019ll also be the first launch to test the guidance and navigation hardware as well as the sensors that Rocket Lab will eventually use to help make the Electron\u2019s first stage recoverable.<\/p>\n

No recovery will be attempted during this mission.<\/p>\n

The shooting-star satellite, ALE-2, is already making headlines in New Zealand. It\u2019s designed to release particles from its sun-synchronous orbit below the International Space Station\u2019s altitude, according to a timed schedule. When the particles re-enter Earth\u2019s atmosphere, they\u2019re supposed to burn up and create the appearance of meteors as seen from the ground.<\/p>\n

In addition to the entertainment factor, ALE says scientists participating in the Sky Canvas project will be able to study the path of the particles during re-entry. That could lead to more accurate predictions of the path of satellites during orbital decay, and perhaps contribute to studies of weather and climate change.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis launch gets us much closer to realizing the world\u2019s first man-made shooting star,\u201d ALE\u2019s CEO, Lena Okajima, said in a news release. \u201cWe really appreciate Spaceflight`s support and attention to our mission, and we\u2019re honored to take this big step with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some observers say the Sky Canvas project will be a distraction for astronomers as well as an attraction for skywatchers. Similar examples include the \u201cHumanity Star\u201d disco-ball satellite that Rocket Lab launched in 2018, and SpaceX\u2019s first batch of 60 Starlink satellites.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=vHvyz3h-rRo<\/p>\n

When plans for the project came to light in January, The Sun said the mission\u2019s primary purpose was to \u201cwow the world\u2019s mega-rich with dazzling light displays.\u201d Others have said the justification for the display is \u201chighly questionable\u201d or \u201chighly debatable on the moral, ecological, legal and political levels.\u201d<\/p>\n

The New Zealand Herald quoted the nation\u2019s economic development minister, Phil Twyford, as saying he approved the payload for launch after receiving assurances from the New Zealand Space Agency that the project was safe, that there were no environmental concerns, and that \u201cthe light pollution impact is negligible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spaceflight\u2019s president and CEO, Curt Blake, focused on his company\u2019s expertise rather than the glitter factor in today\u2019s news release. Spaceflight is the launch logistics subsidiary of Seattle-based Spaceflight Industries, which also has the Black Sky geospatial data company under its wing.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur experience offering end-to-end launch services across multiple launch vehicles continues to be highly valued by organizations \u2014 regardless if they\u2019re a newer customer like ALE, or an experienced constellation developer,\u201d Blake said. \u201cOur expertise and long-standing relationships provide reliability, flexibility, and the confidence that we\u2019ll get customers to space as efficiently as possible. We\u2019re really looking forward to taking ALE on our third Electron launch this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spaceflight\u2019s two earlier launches took place in June and August.<\/p>\n

The six other spacecraft to be sent into low Earth orbit, or LEO, during the \u201cRunning Out of Fingers\u201d mission are 2-inch-wide PocketQube satellites, manufactured by Alba Orbital. Here\u2019s how Rocket Lab describes the payloads:<\/p>\n