A Japanese weather satellite launched Tuesday aboard an H-2A rocket, beginning a mission to monitor tropical cyclones and storm systems over East Asia and the Western Pacific.
The H-2A rocket lifted off at 0516 GMT (1:16 a.m. EDT) from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan.
The launch occurred at 2:16 p.m. local time.
The photos below were released by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the manufacturer and commercial operator of the H-2A rocket.
Some of the images are video stills from cameras mounted on-board the H-2A rocket, showing separation of the launcher’s twin solid rocket boosters, payload fairing, and first stage, then deployment of the Himawari 8 satellite in orbit.
