Melco – Spaceflight Now

Japanese satellite re-enters atmosphere after experiments in ultra-low orbit

October 15, 2019 Stephen Clark

An experimental Japanese satellite has ended its mission after proving it could operate at super-low altitudes, testing an Earth-imaging camera and using ion propulsion to fight against aerodynamic drag at an altitude of 112 miles.

Japan puts its first military communications satellite into orbit

January 24, 2017 Stephen Clark

A Japanese H-2A rocket took off Tuesday with a communications satellite to relay messages and commands among the country’s defense forces, part of a $1.1 billion program to reduce Japan’s reliance on commercial and international providers to connect its military units.

H-2A rocket primed for launch of Japanese military communications satellite

January 23, 2017 Stephen Clark

The first communications satellite dedicated to support Japanese defense forces will launch Tuesday on top of an H-2A rocket on the way to a perch more than 22,000 miles above Earth.

Japanese weather observatory successfully boosted into orbit

November 2, 2016 Stephen Clark

A nearly four-ton satellite fitted with a modernized camera to collect more timely images of typhoons and severe weather bolted away from a seaside launch pad in southern Japan on Wednesday, riding an H-2A rocket on the way to an orbital perch more than 22,000 miles above Earth.

Key events during the H-2A rocket launch with Himawari 9

November 1, 2016 Stephen Clark

Japan’s Himawari 9 weather satellite will ride into space atop an H-2A rocket from Tanegashima Space Center and reach a preliminary geostationary transfer orbit within 28 minutes of liftoff.

Live coverage: H-2A rocket blasts off with latest Japanese weather satellite

November 1, 2016 Stephen Clark

A Japanese H-2A rocket launched from Tanegashima Island on Wednesday with the Himawari 9 weather observatory bound for a perch more than 22,000 miles above Earth to improve forecasting in the Asia-Pacific. Liftoff of the 17-story rocket from southern Japan occurred at 0620 GMT (2:20 a.m. EDT) Wednesday.

H-2A rocket rolls to launch pad with Japanese weather satellite

November 1, 2016 Stephen Clark

A sophisticated new Japanese weather satellite will ride an H-2A rocket into orbit Wednesday to start a 15-year mission tracking cyclones and helping meteorologists predict storm movements across the Asia-Pacific and Australia.

Imagery from Friday’s fiery Proton rocket launch

October 19, 2015 Stephen Clark

Turkey’s newest communications satellite soared into space from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Friday, and these spectacular images show the middle-of-the-night liftoff of the spacecraft’s Russian Proton rocket booster before it disappeared into low clouds.

Turkish telecommunications satellite lifts off from Baikonur

October 16, 2015 Stephen Clark

A Russian Proton rocket boosted a Turkish telecommunications satellite into space Friday after a blazing liftoff from Kazakhstan, and a Breeze M upper stage injected the 5.4-ton broadcasting craft into an orbit ranging more than 20,000 miles above Earth nine hours later.

Live coverage: Proton rocket launches with Turksat 4B

October 16, 2015 Stephen Clark

A Proton rocket blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 2040 GMT (4:40 p.m. EDT) Friday with Turkey’s Turksat 4B communications satellite.