Satellite ProgramsObservation Satellites
ALOS-4
Taking over from DAICHI-2 to enhance the functionality and performance
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Client
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
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Launch date
FY2023
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Launch Vehicle
H3
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Launch site
Tanegashima Space Center
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Orbit
Sun-synchronous sub-recurrent orbit
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Mass
Approx. 3t
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Design life
7 years
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Responsibilities
Prime contractor
ALOS-3
Achieving improved optical observations of wide-swath with high-resolution as successor of optical mission of DAICHI
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Client
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
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Launch date
March 7, 2023 (Launch failure)
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Launch Vehicle
H3
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Launch site
Tanegashima Space Center
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Orbit
Sun-synchronous subrecurrent orbit at an altitude of 669 km
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Mass
Approx. 3t
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Design life
Over 7 years
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Responsibilities
Prime contractor
ALOS-2
Advanced Land Observing Satellite-2 (ALOS-2) follows in the footsteps of ALOS, which monitored changes on Earth between 2006 and 2011. It's equipped with the PALSAR-2 panchromatic L-band synthetic aperture radar observation device.
Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS)-2 is continuing the mission of its predecessor, ALOS. Equipped with the world's most advanced L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR), it features improved resolution and a wider observation range than ALOS. It is expected to contribute significantly to earth observation in the areas of disaster monitoring, forest monitoring, environmental protection and resource exploration.
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Client
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
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Launch date
May 24, 2014
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Launch Vehicle
H-IIA
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Launch site
Tanegashima Space Center
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Orbit
628km (sun-synchronous sub-recurrent orbit)
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Mass
Approx. 2t (at launch)
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Electrical power
5,300W
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Design life
5 years
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Responsibilities
Prime contractor
GOSAT-GW
Support disaster prevention through greenhouse-gas and water-cycle observations
Enhance scientific prediction of global warming and climate change
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Launch date
FY2023
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Orbit Type
Sun-synchronous sub-recurrent orbit
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Weight
Approx. 2,600kg
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Mission Duration
7 years
GOSAT-2
GOSAT-2 is the successor of IBUKI (also known as GOSAT), launched in 2009. It is expected to play a major role in the international framework for space-based greenhouse-gas observation.
GOSAT-2 is the successor to IBUKI (also known as the "Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT)," which was launched in January 2009 as the world's first satellite dedicated to greenhouse-gases observation. Like IBUKI, GOSAT-2 is a joint project of Japan's Ministry of the Environment (MOE), National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) and JAXA. Mitsubishi Electric is providing not only the satellite platform as it did for IBUKI, but also a turnkey system that includes development of the next-generation sensors and ground system used by GOSAT-2, and providing operational services throughout the orbital design life of the satellite.
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Client
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
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Launch date
October 29, 2018
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Launch Vehicle
H-IIA
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Launch site
Tanegashima Space Center
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Orbit
Sun synchronous orbit
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Mass
Approx. 1.7t (at launch)
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Electrical power
5,000W
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Design life
5 years
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Responsibilities
Prime contractor
GOSAT
The GOSAT mission is to observe the distribution of concentrations of greenhouse effect gases. It will contribute to international efforts toward the prevention of global warming.
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Client
JAXA
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Launch date
January 23, 2009
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Launch Vehicle
H-IIA
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Launch site
Tanegashima Space Center
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Orbit
Altitude: 666 km, Synchronous sub-recurrent orbit
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Mass
Approx. 1.8t (at launch)
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Electrical power
3,800kW
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Design life
5 years
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Responsibilities
Prime contractor
Himawari-8, Himawari-9
Japanese meteorological satellites essential to forecasting the climate of Japan – Successor satellites to the MTSAT-2 (Himawari-7)
Himawari-8 and Himawari-9 are Japanese geostationary meteorological satellites owned by Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). JMA has been overseeing the meteorological missions of Himawari-6 and Himawari-7, and will do the same for Himawari-8 and Himawari-9 as well. These satellites capture images of the Earth over eastern Asia and western Pacific Ocean regions, contributing to disaster prevention in the area.
Himawari-8 was successfully launched in 2014 and Himawari-9 will be launched in 2016.
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Client
Japan Meteorological Agency
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Launch date
Himawari-8 : October 7, 2014,
Himawari-9 : November 2, 2016 -
Launch Vehicle
H-IIA
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Launch site
Tanegashima Space Center
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Orbit
Geostationary orbit
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Mass
--
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Electrical power
--
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Design life
15 years
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Responsibilities
Prime contractor
MTSAT-2（Himawari-7）
MTSAT-2 carries out an aviation mission, such as successful air traffic control, as well as a meteorological mission.
The MTSAT-2 is a multi-functional satellite that carries out both an aviation mission, including air traffic control, and a meteorological mission. The purpose of the aviation mission is to improve traffic congestion and safety in the Asia-Pacific region with a next-generation global-scale air traffic safety system made up of communications, navigation, tracking and air traffic control. The purpose of the meteorological mission is to capture, collect and deliver meteorological images and/or data, inheriting and expanding the mission of the GMS-5 which is also currently in service.
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Client
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
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Launch date
February 18, 2006
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Launch Vehicle
H-IIA
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Launch site
Tanegashima Space Center
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Orbit
Geostationary orbit: 145 deg.
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Mass
Approx. 4.7t (at launch)
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Electrical power
3,410 W
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Design life
10 years
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Responsibilities
Prime contractor
ADEOS-II
Advanced Earth Observing Satellite-II: ADEOS-II takes over ADEOS's mission of monitoring climate changes, expansion of the ozone holes, and global environmental changes, as well as investigating the causes of these phenomena.
The ADEOS-II inherited the mission of the ADEOS. With this satellite successfully orbiting, it is expected to contribute to research into global climate change, including gaining an understanding of the mechanisms of such global environmental changes as global warming.
It will also contribute to such practical fields as meteorology and fisheries.
NASDA (now JAXA) developed the core sensors for the ADEOS-II, while institutions both in Japan and abroad supplied and mounted a global imager and high-performance microwave radiation gauge, as well as the improved limb atmospheric spectrometer II, maritime wind observation system, and surface reflection observation system.
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Client
JAXA
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Launch date
December 14, 2002
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Launch Vehicle
H-IIA
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Launch site
Tanegashima Space Center
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Orbit
Altitude: 800 km, Sun-synchronous subrecurrent orbit
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Mass
Approx. 3.7t (at launch)
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Electrical power
5,000 W (EOL)
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Design life
3 years
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Responsibilities
Prime contractor
