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Post Info TOPIC: ALOS Delay


L

Posts: 131433
Date:
ALOS Launch
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Launch from Tanegashima, Japan, at 01:33-01:43 GMT, 19th January, 2006. (8:33-8:43 p.m. EST on Jan. 18)

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L

Posts: 131433
Date:
H-IIA Launch
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The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has announced that the launch of the H-IIA Launch Vehicle Flight #8 with the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) onboard was approved by the
Space Activities Commission (SAC).

The scheduled launch date is 10:33 to10:43 a.m., January 19 (Thursday), 2006, (Japan Standard Time, JST) , from the Yoshinobu Launch Complex at the Tanegashima Space Centre
The launch opportunity period stretches from January 20 (Fri) thru to February 28 (Tue), 2006 (JST).



The H-IIA rocket is Japan’s primary large-scale launch vehicle. It can launch a 2-ton class satellite into 36,000-km geostationary orbit.
JAXA (NASDA at that time) successfully launched the H-IIA F1 in August 2001, and full-scale operations for launching practical satellites started with the H-IIA F3.
However, the H-IIA F6 failed in November 2003. After a thorough investigation, the cause of the failure was found to be the sold rocket booster (SRB-A).
JAXA performed numerous experiments and tests to modify the troubled parts, including the shape of the injector. H-IIA F7 was launched successfully in 26 February 2005.

The main body of H-IIA is an approximately 53-meter-tall cylinder with a diameter of four meters. The precise height varies flight by flight because a payload fairing that is attached on the top of H-IIA is adjustable in size according to its payload.
The first stage is 37.2 meter tall from the bottom - this height includes the interstage that covers the lower half of the second stage - the second stage is 10.7 meters on the top of the first stage, then an approximately 12-meter payload fairing is at the top.
H-IIA performs inertial guidance flight with its onboard electronic equipment. Inertial guidance is an automatic function with which H-IIA can correct the flight path by itself according to its scheduled trajectory sensing its position and acceleration during flight. Therefore, H-IIA is not controlled by radio frequencies from the ground like a radio-controlled model car.
On the ground, however, the signals sent from H-IIA are received to monitor if it is on the scheduled flight path. Only if H-IIA significantly deviates its flight path, will a destruct command be transmitted from a ground station. The electronic equipment is broken up into two parts and installed in the upper part of the first stage and the lower part of the second stage of H-IIA.

The standard H-IIA has two Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB-As) attached next to the first stage. SRB-A is 2.5 meters in diameter and 15.2 meters in height. The affix "-A" for SRB is to distinguish the booster from the Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) for H-II.
A Liquid Rocket Booster (LRB) can also be attached to augmented the H-IIA. This large-size booster uses liquid propellant. With a LRB attached, H-IIA launch capability becomes almost twice as much.


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L

Posts: 131433
Date:
ALOS Delay
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The Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS), whose launch was scheduled in the summer of 2005 has been postponed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

The reason for the delay is that JAXA found an anomaly in the Infrared Imaging Surveyor Satellite (ASTRO-F) during ground tests. The ASTRO-F is also scheduled to be launched within the 2005 Japanese fiscal year.
In the course of the investigation of the anomaly, JAXA found that a foreign object was mixed in the satellite's transistor.
While the transistor of the ASTRO-F was being replaced, JAXA checked all its other satellites.
As a result, it was found that the ALOS, which was scheduled to be launched this summer, is also equipped with the same transistor that was manufactured in the same timeframe as the one installed in the ASTRO-F.
Although the ALOS transistor is currently working properly, it is a high possibility that it also contains a foreign object.
Therefore, JAXA decided to replace the ALOS transistor to make sure of the success of the mission.
The ALOS launch scheduled for this summer was postponed in order to secure the necessary time for the replacement.

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