New Intelligence Satellite Launched Today

 

New Radar Information Gathering Satellite Launched by H2A #22

January 27, 2013

JAXA, Japan's space exploration authority, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries successfully launched H2A rocket #22 for the Japanese government from the Tanegashima Space Center, Kagoshima at 1:40pm today. The rocket's payload includes the fourth radar equipped information gathering satellite as well as demonstrator of new optical system. The payload was seperated from launcher as scheduled and successfully put into orbit.

The radar satellite is believed to be able to find about 1 meter object on the ground day and night and through clouds. The optical demonstrator is designed to test a new photographic system with higher resolution than the optical satellites #3 and #4 now in orbit, with ability to identify 40 centimeter object.

This new radar satellite will join the three optical reconnaissance satellites and one radar satellite already in orbit, completing the original plan to watch a specific place on the ground at least once a day, night and day.

According to the Intelligence Satellite Operations Center, a division of　the Cabinet Office, the fourth radar satellite called for a total development cost of JPY24.3 billion (about USD270 million) while the optical demonstrator satellite was developed with JPY11.8 billion (USD130 million); launching cost of H2A is JPY10.9billion (USD121 million).

Japan's information gathering satellites have been put into orbit after the ballistic missile launch by North Korea in late 1990s. The government of Japan has not released all relevant data of the satellites including their orbit paths and performance as well as collected graphic data.

H2A launcher, with today's launching, could achieve successful rate of 95.5%, surpassing an international yardstick of 95% as reliable launching system.