spacetoday.net: Japan launches spysats

Posted: Fri, Mar 28, 2003, 8:52 AM ET (1352 GMT)
H-2A launch on flight 4 (NASDA)

A Japanese rocket successfully launched Friday that nation's first two military reconnaissance satellites. The H-2A rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center at 8:27 pm EST Thursday (0127 UT, 10:27 am local time). It placed into a Sun-synchronous orbit the Information Gathering Satellites (IGS) 1a and 1b. One of the satellites is believed to have a camera capable of taking images with a resolution of about one meter per pixel, while the other has a synthetic aperture radar system. Security was ramped up considerably for the launch, with Japanese space agency NASDA, which conducts H-2A launches, offering little publicity about the launch. Although Japan previously used space exclusively for peaceful purposes, the Japanese government decided to go ahead with the IGS system after North Korea launched a ballistic missile over Japan in 1998. North Korea sharply criticized the launch, calling it a provocative move by Japan. Some experts believe North Korea might respond to the IGS launch with another ballistic missile test, but no such launch has yet to occur. Friday's launch was the fifth for the H-2A; all have been successful.