Japan

Soyuz rolled out for launch of multinational satellite cluster

July 12, 2017 Stephen Clark

A Soyuz rocket arrived at a launch pad Tuesday in Kazakhstan for liftoff later this week with a satellite to monitor natural disasters and track forest fires from orbit and 72 secondary payloads from Russia, the United States, Germany, Norway and Japan.

BepiColombo Mercury mission tested for journey into ‘pizza oven’

July 10, 2017 Stephen Clark

Three spacecraft built in Europe and Japan have completed their final joint tests to ensure they are ready for departure to Mercury on an Ariane 5 rocket late next year on the nearly $1.9 billion BepiColombo mission to survey the solar system’s innermost planet.

JAXA, NASA approve replacement for failed Hitomi astronomy satellite

July 6, 2017 Stephen Clark

The Japanese space agency is moving ahead with a smaller-scale X-ray astronomy satellite to replace the failed Hitomi observatory, which spun out of control about a month-and-a-half after its launch last year.

Japanese navigation craft successfully delivered to orbit

June 1, 2017 Stephen Clark

Japan deployed the first of three navigation satellites it intends to launch in the next year Thursday, sending a 4.4-ton spacecraft on the way to an high-altitude orbital perch on top of an H-2A rocket to improve positioning data for drivers, hikers and government agencies in East Asia.

Photos: Japan’s H-2A rocket prepared for launch with Michibiki 2

May 31, 2017 Stephen Clark

The second satellite in Japan’s regional space-based navigation constellation is set for launch Thursday aboard an H-2A rocket, and these photos show the hydrogen-fueled launcher’s preparations for liftoff, from stacking inside an assembly hangar at the Tanegashima Space Center through rollout to the launch pad.

Live coverage: H-2A rocket lifts off from Japan with navigation satellite

May 31, 2017 Stephen Clark

A Japanese H-2A rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center at 0017:46 GMT Thursday (8:17:46 p.m. EDT Wednesday) with the Michibiki 2 navigation satellite designed to improve positioning and timing services over Japan.

Japanese rocket scheduled for launch with navigation satellite

May 30, 2017 Stephen Clark

A Japanese H-2A rocket is set for launch Thursday with the country’s second navigation satellite, growing a network of beacons in the sky to give emergency responders, security forces and the public more accurate positioning and timing signals in Japan and neighboring regions.