ESA joins forces with Japan on new infrared sky surveyor

A high-capability new infrared satellite, ASTRO-F, was successfully launched
last night by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). In a collaborative
effort involving ESA and scientists across Europe, the spacecraft is now being
prepared to start its mapping of the cosmos.

More at:

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM2MAMVGJE_index_0.html

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Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
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Initial Operation of the 21st Scientific Satellite "Akari" (ASTRO-F)

February 22, 2006
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

The 21st Scientific Satellite "Akari" which was launched by the M-V
Launch Vehicle No. 8 from the Uchinoura Space Center at 6:28 a.m. on
February 22, 2006 (Japan Standard Time, JST), was found to be stable
in spite of a slight problem.

After its launch, the "Akari" was injected into its scheduled orbit,
and the JAXA New Ground Network (GN) Station in Perth, Australia,
started receiving data from the satellite at 6:43 a.m. (JST) Through
the data, it was confirmed that the "Akari" was successfully separated
and was in a spin mode.

The JAXA GN Station in Santiago, Chile, started receiving data at
8:48 a.m. (JST), and the satellite attitude was found to be shifted
from the spin mode to spin downed mode as scheduled. The solar array
paddle deployment and its power generation were also confirmed.

However, the solar pointing of the attitude control was not complete.

Based on our investigation, there is an unknown factor in the output
of the two-dimensional solar sensor (NSAS.) Due to this trouble, the
"Akari" has been shifted to the attitude control mode using the earth
sensor (CES) and the gyroscope (IRU) to secure the necessary power
from the solar array paddles.

It was confirmed that the power has been stably generated through the
data that was received at the JAXA GN Station in Kiruna, Sweden, since
12:44 p.m. (JST)

Currently, we are investigating the status of the two-dimensional
solar sensor (NSAS.)

The overall health condition of the "Akari", apart from the
two-dimensional solar sensor, is stable, and we do not perceive that
any problem will arise for the scheduled observation operations.

This information is also available on the following website:

ASTRO-F/M-V-8 Countdown

http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/e/countdown/index-en.shtml

This page URL:

http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2006/02/20060222_akari-2_e.html

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Publisher : Public Affairs Department
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Marunouchi Kitaguchi Building,
1-6-5, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8260
Japan
TEL:+81-3-6266-6400

JAXA WEB SITE :

http://www.jaxa.jp/index_e.html