Kaguya

Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

01:31:01

Friday September 14, 2007

Mission Details

Launch Notes

First Japanese mission to the Moon. Last flight of H-IIA 2022.

Kaguya

Wiki

Kaguya, or SELENE (Selenological & Engineering Explorer) has 13 instruments including imagers, a radar sounder, laser altimeter, X-ray fluorescence spectrometer and gamma-ray spectrometer to study the origin, evolution, and tectonics of the Moon from orbit. The spacecraft consists of three separate units: the main orbiter, a small relay satellite (RSat), and a small VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) satellite (VRAD). The orbiter is a rectangular box carrying the scientific instrumentation, measures about 2.1 m by 4.2 m, and has a mass of roughly 1600 kg. The relay satellite is an octagonal prism and will be used to transmit communications from the orbiter to Earth. The VLBI satellite is the same shape as the relay satellite and will be used to conduct precise investigations on the position and precession of the Moon. SELENE was launched into a 281 km × 232805 km × 29.9° earth orbit, from which it will inject itself into a lunar-transfer orbit, which will take 5 days to reach the Moon, where it will be put into an initial 120 × 13000 km orbit at an inclination of 95 degrees. The relay satellite will be released into a 100 × 2400 km orbit and then the VLBI satellite will be released into a 100 × 800 km orbit. The orbiter will then be lowered to its nominal 100 km circular orbit. Selene will carry out observations for approximately one year.

Lunar orbit

3 Payloads

3,000 kilograms

Rocket

Retired
H-IIA 2022

Active 2005 to 2007

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries logo

Agency

MHI

Rocket

Height: 53m

Payload to Orbit

GTO: 4,500 kg

Fairing

Diameter: 4.07m

Height: 12m

Stages

2

Strap-ons

2

Launch Site

LA-Y1

Tanegashima Space Center, Japan

Fastest Turnaround

25 days 4 hours

Stats

H-IIA


13th

Mission

2nd

Mission of 2007

2007


42nd

Orbital launch attempt