Kiku 2

Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

08:50:00

Wednesday February 23, 1977

Mission Details

Launch Notes

First flight of N-I Star-37E.

Kiku 2

Wiki

ETS 2 (Engineering Test Satellite 2) or Kiku 2 was a Japanese engineering technology satellite launched to acquire technologies to launch, track, and control geostationary satellites. It carried out a propagation experiment of millimeter and quasi-millimeter waves. Its weight at launch was 245 kg and was cylindrical, 191 cm high including the antenna, with a diameter of 141 cm. Its expected life was as least 6 months.

Geostationary Transfer Orbit

1 Payload

245 kilograms

Rocket

Retired
N-I Star-37E

Active 1977 to 1980

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries logo

Agency

MHI

Rocket

Height: 34m

Payload to Orbit

LEO: 1,200 kg

GTO: 360 kg

Stages

3

Strap-ons

3

Launch Site

LA-Y1

Tanegashima Space Center, Japan

Fastest Turnaround

25 days 4 hours

Stats

N-I


3rd

Mission

1st

Mission of 1977

1977


15th

Orbital launch attempt