Japan Launches another Satellite
A rocket carrying a multi-purpose satellite lifted off on Saturday and successfully placed the satellite in orbit. The launch, the second within a month, indicates a giant leap in the Japanese space program.
After two failed launches of H-2 rockets in the 1990s, Japan's space program seems to have received a breath of new life as two satellites have been carried into orbit by H-2A rockets this year. The first one, a land observation satellite was launched in January. The second one, MTSAT-2, was launched on Saturday. The MTSAT-2, a 4.6-ton satellite, is a meant to be a backup for another satellite called Sun Flower that was put into orbit last year. It will be used for aircraft navigation and meteorological purposes.
The latest launch is the ninth by an H-2A rocket. I'm delighted by the outcome, which ensured the credibility of the H2-A rocket and demonstrated a steady progress of our nation's space development, said a jubilant Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. I hope we can continue to build on this achievement.
The H-2A rocket carrying MTSAT-2 took off from the Tanegashima space center and placed it in a geostationary orbit, 22,300 miles above the equator within 30 minutes of the launch. The initial reports indicate that the launch was a success. The rocket launch went successfully, but it will take several days before we can find out whether the satellite performs its initial steps and enters the orbit successfully, said Toshihisa Horiguchi, spokesman of the Japan's space agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
The Japanese space program made the headlines in November last year when it was made public that a space probe was able to collect rock samples from an asteroid 186 miles from the earth.
Japan is all set to launch yet another satellite, which would be meant for astronomical purposes, next weak.
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