ASTRO-F 'Akari' successfully launched
Wed Feb 22, 2006 at 08:42 UTC
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the 21st Scientific Satellite (ASTRO-F) aboard the M-V Launch Vehicle No. 8 (M-V-8) at 21:28 UTC on February 21, 2006 from the Uchinoura Space Center (USC). The launcher was set to a vertical angle of 81.5°, and the flight azimuth was 143.0°.
The launch vehicle flew smoothly, and after the third stage engine burnout, it was confirmed that the satellite was safely injected into its scheduled orbit of a perigee altitude of approximately 304 km and an apogee altitude of approximately 733 km with an inclination of approximately 98.2°.
JAXA started receiving signals from the ASTRO-F at 21:43 UTC at the Perth Station, and from those signals we verified that the ASTRO-F had successfully separated.
JAXA has confirmed the successful deployment of the solar array paddle (PDL) of the 21st Scientific Satellite "Akari" through telemetry data that has been received at the Santiago Station since 23:46 UTC.
The in-orbit ASTRO-F was given a nickname of "Akari" (meaning a "light."). ASTRO-F is JAXA's first satellite for infrared astronomy. It has a 70 cm telescope,which is cooled down to -270°C with liquid helium in order to suppress unwanted infrared radiation from the telescope itself.
Image Credit: JAXA
JAXA News Release
