Japan Successfully Launches Climate Change Observation Satellite

December 23, 2017

Tanegashima, Kagoshima Pref.- Japan successfully launched on Saturday an H-2A rocket carrying the Shikisai climate change observation satellite and the Tsubame super low altitude test satellite.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. <7011> and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency launched the H-2A Launch Vehicle No. 37 from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, at 10:26 a.m. (1:26 a.m. GMT).

The Shikisai was separated from the rocket and put into orbit about 16 minutes later, and the Tsubame about an hour and 48 minutes later.

This was the first time for an H-2A rocket to place two satellites into different orbits in a single launch.

The rocket carried the two satellites in its second stage.

It first separated the Shikisai and put it into a circular orbit around Earth at an altitude of about 800 kilometers. The rocket then slowed down the second stage to lower it to place the Tsubame into an elliptical orbit at an altitude of around 450-640 kilometers.

The Shikisai will observe the atmosphere, the land and the sea of Earth with not only visible light but also invisible light such as ultraviolet and infrared rays. It will detect sunlight-reflecting clouds, dust, accumulated snow and fine particles such as soot.

In addition, the Shikisai will observe the distribution of plants that can absorb carbon dioxide, including forests and farmlands.

Data collected by the Shikisai, such as those on sea surface temperatures, will be provided to the Japan Meteorological Agency and the Japan Fisheries Information Service Center.

The Tsubame is equipped with a usual gas injector and also with an ion engine, the same one used in the Hayabusa asteroid explorer.

It will move to a circular orbit to gradually lower its altitude. After about a year and nine months, the Tsubame will try to maintain an altitude of about 180 kilometers, where atmospheric drag is significant, for a week.

As satellites at lower altitudes can observe the ground in more detail with cameras and radars, the achievements of the Tsubame's mission are expected to be utilized for the development of disaster observation satellites. Jiji Press