November 18, 2010 Updated
Date of AKATSUKI injection to Venus orbit
JAXA decided to emit jets from the orbital maneuvering engine (OME) of the AKATSUKI at 8:49:00 a.m. on Dec. 7 (Japan Standard Time, all the following dates and time are in JST) to inject the orbiter into the Venus orbit. Under the current schedule, the OME jet emission will be completed at 9:01:00 a.m. on the same day, and the Venus orbit will be determined around 9:00 p.m. also on the same day after some attitude control maneuvers including the Earth pointing maneuver of the Z axis.The AKATSUKI will study the Venus atmosphere for about two years after being injected into the Venus orbit.
November 16, 2010 Updated
Particles brought back by Hayabusa identified as from Itokawa
JAXA has been engaged in collecting and categorizing particles in the sampler container that were brought back by the asteroid explorer "HAYABUSA."As a result of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations and analyses of the samples, about 1,500 grains were identified as rocky particles, and most of them were judged to be of extraterrestrial origin, and definitely from Asteroid Itokawa, after further study of the analysis results and comparison of mineral compositions.
Their size is mostly less than 10 micrometers, and handling these grains requires very special skills and techniques. JAXA is developing the necessary handling techniques and preparing the associated equipment for the initial (but more detailed) analyses of these ultra-minute particles.
November 11, 2010 Updated
HTV nickname selected & special site open!
"KOUNOTORI" (meaning "a white stork" in English) was chosen as the nickname of the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV, a cargo transfer vehicle to the International Space Station.)During a month-long nickname campaign, we received 17,236 suggestions.
Among them, "KOUNOTORI" was selected because a white stork carries an image of conveying an important thing (a baby, happiness, and other joyful things); therefore, it precisely expresses the mission to transport essential materials to the ISS.
The KOUNOTORI2 is scheduled to be launched by the H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 2 (H-IIB F2) at around 3:29 p.m. (Japan Standard Time) on January 20 (Thu.), 2011.
Taking this opportunity of selecting the nickname, we would also like to open the "KOUNOTORI2/H-IIB F2 Special Site." We will provide you with updated information about the project including a column by project personnel and launch related matters. Please enjoy the site!
* Launch time will be determined by the updated orbit of the ISS.
November 10, 2010 Updated
Launch day set for HTV2/H-IIB F2!
The launch date and time for the H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 2 (H-IIB F2) with the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV2) onboard was set for around 3:29 p.m. on January 20 (Thu.), 2011 (Japan Standard Time). The HTV2 is a cargo transporter to the International Space Station (ISS.) The integration of all modules of the HTV2 was completed at the Tanegashima Space Center (TNSC), and it will enter the final launch preparation phase. The H-IIB F2 has already been transported to the TNSC, and it is now being assembled there.* Launch time will be determined by the updated orbit of the ISS.
November 2, 2010 Updated
10th anniversary of continuous human presence at ISS
November 2, 2010, marks the 10th anniversary since the first astronaut began to stay at the International Space Station (ISS). At 6:21 a.m. (JST) on Nov. 2, 2000, the first expedition crew consisting of two Russian cosmonauts and one American astronaut aboard the Soyuz spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS. They stayed there for about four months.In this decade, five Japanese astronauts have stayed at the ISS (of which two were there as members of the expedition crew) to complete the Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo." Astronaut Satoshi Furukawa is scheduled to stay there for a prolonged period in 2011, followed by Astronaut Akihiko Hoshide in 2012.