* Astronomy

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RE: SOLAR-B Satellite

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Hinode has successfully obtained images with all three instruments: SOT, EIS, and XRT.

http://solarb.msfc.nasa.gov/

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The sun-observing Hinode satellite (formerly Solar-B) of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was launched from the Uchinoura Space Centre, Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan, on September 22, 2006 at 21:36 GMT, aboard the seventh in JAXA's series of M-V rockets. For two weeks the satellite carried out orbit adjustments, and is now in a sun-synchronous orbit, which allows it to observe the sun for uninterrupted periods lasting months at a time. Hinode contains three instruments dedicated to observing the sun: the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT), the X-Ray Telescope (XRT), and the EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS).Each of the instruments have now opened their protective doors and successfully commenced test observations.
Consequently, JAXA announces that the primary post-launch events of the satellite have been completed.
Currently, Hinode's power systems and attitude pointing are stable. For approximately the next month, activities will progress from testing the basic operational aspects of the telescopes, to implementing the scientific operation mode. During this period, from time to time we plan to release images and telescope-performance information on the homepage for each instrument, or through other sources. We expect to complete adjustments of the instruments and enter the scientific observation phase of the mission early in December 2006.At that time we intend to release a summary of initial scientific findings obtained from the test images.

SOT opened its front door on October 25, and immediately began taking engineering test images and performing focus adjustments. This shows an image taken during this testing phase with SOT's broadband filter. From this and similar images they have confirmed that SOT is achieving very high spatial resolution of 0.2 arcseconds, a primary objective of the instrument.

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Hinode Satellite

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RE: SOLAR-B Satellite

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Debris from a M-5 rocket that was launched on the 22nd September 2006, from the Uchinoura Space Centre for the SOLAR-B mission is predicted to re-enter the Earth atmosphere on 11 October 2006 @ 03:32 UTC ± 24 Hours

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TLE Data

M-5 DEB
1 29481U 06041C   06283.48915800  .05686630  65192-1  14192-1 0   491
2 29481 098.3049 294.3555 0079240 077.9823 283.0340 15.95835259  2598
1 29481U 06041C   06283.42642803  .05727223  57263-1  14291-1 0   488
2 29481 098.3060 294.2800 0080427 078.1528 282.8871 15.94965142  2586
1 29481U 06041C   06283.23805623  .05020746  41762-1  14018-1 0   477
2 29481 098.3105 294.0527 0085630 077.7567 283.3075 15.92305217  2557
1 29481U 06041C   06283.23794268  .05725117  43824-1  14671-1 0   468
2 29481 098.3360 294.0459 0085830 071.5924 288.8150 15.92590367  2551
1 29481U 06041C   06282.98644444 +.05129067 +38420-1 +14378-1 0 00483
2 29481 098.3073 293.7425 0099754 077.7810 283.4489 15.89711452002511

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The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded the Norwegian Space Centre the contract to monitor the scientific data sent from the Japanese solar research satellite Solar B.

The six-year contract is worth 60 million Norwegian krones, and is one of the largest contracts between ESA and Norwegian research and industry. Norway will also build a European data base which will distribute all data from Solar B.
The data from the Solar B will be downloaded to the Norwegian ground station SvalSat at Svalbard which has been chosen because of its favourable location in the far north.
This allows several more "readings" during the day, than at other ground stations around the world.

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The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the 22nd Scientific Satellite (SOLAR-B) aboard the M-V Launch Vehicle No.7 (M-V-7) at 6:36 a.m. on September 23, 2006 (Japan Standard Time, JST) from the Uchinoura Space Center (USC). The launcher was set to a vertical angle of 82.0 degrees, and the flight azimuth was 149.3 degrees.

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 280 km and an apogee altitude of approximately 686 km with an inclination of approximately 98.3 degrees.
JAXA started receiving signals from the SOLAR-B at 7:21 a.m. (JST) at the Santiago Station, and from those signals we verified that the SOLAR-B had successfully separated from the launch vehicle and its solar array paddles (PDL) had been normally deployed.
The in-orbit SOLAR-B was given a nickname of "Hinode" (meaning "sunrise.")

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Credit AP

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Hinode Satellite