Japan launches lunar orbiter
Posted: Fri, Sep 14, 2007, 7:32 AM ET (1132 GMT)
An H-2A rocket successfully launched an ambitious, long-delayed Japanese lunar orbiter mission on Friday. The H-2A lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center at 9:31 pm EDT Thursday (0131 GMT, 10:31 am local time Friday), carrying the Kaguya lunar orbiter spacecraft. The Japanese space agency JAXA declared the launch a success, with the spacecraft separating from the rocket's upper stage 45 minutes after liftoff. Kaguya, formerly known as SELENE, consists of a large main orbiter and two smaller sub-satellites which are carrying a large array of cameras, spectrometers, and other instruments to study the Moon. The launch had been delayed for several years because of problems with the development of the spacecraft.
An H-2A rocket successfully launched an ambitious, long-delayed Japanese lunar orbiter mission on Friday. The H-2A lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center at 9:31 pm EDT Thursday (0131 GMT, 10:31 am local time Friday), carrying the Kaguya lunar orbiter spacecraft. The Japanese space agency JAXA declared the launch a success, with the spacecraft separating from the rocket's upper stage 45 minutes after liftoff. Kaguya, formerly known as SELENE, consists of a large main orbiter and two smaller sub-satellites which are carrying a large array of cameras, spectrometers, and other instruments to study the Moon. The launch had been delayed for several years because of problems with the development of the spacecraft.
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