* Astronomy

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RE: SELENE mission

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(JAXA) has confirmed the sucessful deployment of the high-gain antenna of the lunar explorer "KAGUYA" (SELENE).
Telemetry data was received at 6:52 p.m. on September 14, 2007 (JST)
The high-gain antenna plays a key role in communications between the satellite and the Earth.
They also acquired image data taken by the KAGUYA onboard camera at 10:53 p.m. (JST.)

The satellite is currently in good health.

An image of the high-gain antenna deployment taken by the onboard camera is attached below.

The right side is the SOL-BC (part of the X-ray spectrometer.)
Credit JAXA

(JAXA) also confirmed the deployment of the solar array paddle at 11:44 a.m. on September 14 (Japan Standard Time, JST) through signals and power generation data from the satellite.
They acquired an image of the paddle deployment at 11:13 p.m. on the same day (JST).

Solar array paddle deployment acquired image
Credit JAXA

Blobrana · L

KAGUYA mission

Blobrana · L

RE: SELENE mission

Blobrana · L

H-IIA rocket 13 machine launch sequence

Event		Recorded Event	Predicted Time
1.	Lift off	0 minute 0 seconds	0 minute 0 seconds
2.	Solid strap on booster (SSB) ignition	0 minute 10 seconds	0 minute 10 seconds
3.	Solid strap on booster (SSB) separation	1 minute 29 seconds	1 minute 30 seconds
4.	Solid propellant rocket booster (SRB-A) burn out	1 minute 50 seconds	1 minute 55 seconds
5.	Solid propellant rocket booster (SRB-A) separation	2 minute 4 seconds	2 minute 6 seconds
6.	Satellite fair ring separation	4 minute 29 seconds	4 minute 26 seconds
7.	1st step main engine cut off	6 minute 42 seconds	6 minute 40 seconds
8.	1st step, 2nd step separation	6 minute 50 seconds	6 minute 48 seconds
9.	2nd step engine 1st Burn startup	7 minute 0 seconds	6 minute 58 seconds
10	2nd step engine 1st shut-off	12 minute 14 seconds	12 minute 10 seconds
11.	2nd step engine 2nd burn startup	40 minute 41 seconds	40 minute 38 seconds
12.	2nd step engine 2nd shut-off	44 minute 3 seconds	44 minute 2 seconds
13	Satellite separation	45 minute 34 seconds	45 minute 32 seconds

Source JAXA

Blobrana · L

Launch - H-IIA - Kaguya (SELENE)

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Blobrana · L

H-IIA rocket F13 w.KAGUYA

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Blobrana · L

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the Lunar Orbit Explorer "KAGUYA" (SELENE) by the H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 13 (H-IIA F13) at 10:31:01 a.m. on September 14, 2007 (Japan Standard Time, JST) from the Tanegashima Space Centre.
The launch vehicle flew smoothly, and, at about 45 minutes and 34 seconds after liftoff, the separation of the KAGUYA was confirmed.
At the time of the launch, the weather was clear, a wind speed was 5.9 m/second from the East South East, and the temperature was 29.8 degrees Celsius.

JAXA Pressrelease

Blobrana · L

A GIANT radio telescope in Tasmania will play a key role in a space mission billed as the biggest since the Apollo program.
Japan launched its first lunar orbiter today on the mission to investigate the moon.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency H-IIA rocket will try to solve the mystery of how the moon originated and evolved.
And the University of Tasmania's 26m Mt Pleasant radio telescope, southeast of Hobart, will play a key part in one mission experiment called VRAD.
It will use an array of radio telescopes on Earth to accurately track the position of the spacecraft and use the information to make the most accurate measurements of the lunar gravitational field.

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Japan on Friday successfully launched a lunar explorer into orbit on a mission dubbed the first full-scale exploration of the moon since the U.S. Apollo program.
The H2A rocket carrying the moon explorer Kaguya lifted off at 10:31 a.m. from the Tanegashima Space Centre in Kagoshima Prefecture, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said.
About 45 minutes later, the rocket, the H2A Launch Vehicle No. 13, entered its elliptical orbit that circles the Earth at an altitude of between 280 and 233,000 kilometres.

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