KAGUYA has released its second satellite

JAXA performed the separation operation of its second satellite, VRAD (Very Long Baseline Interferometer) from the KAGUYA lunar spacecraft. The VRAD satellite was released at 04:28 UTC on October 12, 2007. Both the KAGUYA and VRAD satellite are confirmed to be in good health.

The other satellite, the Relay satellite, and the VRAD satellite are respectively nicknamed "OKINA" meaning an "honorable elderly man" and "OUNA" meaning an "honorable elderly woman."
"OKINA" and "OUNA" were selected from nominations proposed by the people related to the SELENE project. The names stem from the Japanese classic story The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (Taketori Monogatari,) which most Japanese are very familiar with, as the "KAGUYA" originates from "Kaguya-hime (Princess Kaguya)" in that tale. Princess Kaguya was found by an old man ("OKINA") in a bamboo and was brought up by the man and his wife ("OUNA") with great care.

The Relay and VRAD satellites are flying in a higher orbit than the main satellite, KAGUYA, as if they are watching over the KAGUYA as its guardians. Therefore, we selected "OKINA" and "OUNA" as their nicknames.

Source: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
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