VEP 2 & LRE

Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

07:00:00

Wednesday August 29, 2001

Mission Details

Launch Notes

First flight of H-IIA 202, and first flight of an H-IIA rocket.

VEP 2

Wiki

The VEP 2 (Vehicle Evaluation Payload) was a Japanese spacecraft launched by the maiden H-2A-202 rocket from the Tanegashima launch site. It provided a ranging function and functions to measure the acceleration and deformation, confirmed the accuracy of the H-2A-202 rocket orbit injection, and provided an understanding of the environment of the payload equipment. It remained intentionally attached to the second stage of the H-2 launch vehicle. It also carried the LRE sub-satellite, which was deployed in orbit.

Elliptical

1 Payload

LRE

Wiki

Initially, LRE (Laser Ranging Equipment) was used to evaluate the accuracy of the initial trajectory determination of the H-2A-202 launch vehicle. Subsequently, the satellite was used to verify SLR station performance, as a target for a wide dynamic range of transmitting/receiving tests up to geosynchronous orbit for optical communication and SLR, and to evaluate the air drag model using SLR data. Retroreflector Array Characteristics: The array consists of 126 cube corners and 24 plate mirrors. There are two kinds of cube corners (fused silica and BK7). The approximate center of mass correction is 210 mm.

Elliptical

1 Payload

86 kilograms

Rocket

Retired
H-IIA 202

Active 2001 to 2025

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries logo

Agency

MHI

Price

$90.00 million

Rocket

Height: 53m

Payload to Orbit

LEO: 10,000 kg

GTO: 4,100 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


1st

Mission

1st

Mission of 2001

2001


38th

Orbital launch attempt