All articles tagged with #japan aerospace exploration agency
The first-ever attempt to remove a dead rocket from Earth's orbit has commenced, aiming to address the growing problem of space debris. The mission, funded by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and carried out in collaboration with various companies, involves the ADRAS-J satellite launched aboard an Electron rocket from Rocket Lab’s New Zealand launch site on February 18.
The Peregrine Lunar Lander, launched by NASA and Astrobotic Technology, experienced a fuel leak just hours after its January 8, 2024 launch and ultimately burned up in Earth's atmosphere, failing to reach the Moon. Despite the setback, valuable data was collected, and engineers are optimistic about fixing the issues for the next launch in November 2024. Meanwhile, Japan became the fifth nation to land a spacecraft on the lunar surface, but its lander's solar panels failed to generate expected electricity, leading to a shutdown with hopes of revival in the future.
Representatives from national space agencies provided updates on upcoming moon missions at the 74th International Astronautical Congress. NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy discussed progress on the Artemis missions and the Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium. Li Guoping, chief engineer at the China National Space Administration, shared plans for Chang'e-6, 7, and 8 missions, as well as the International Lunar Research Station. Hiroshi Yamakawa, President of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, reported on the successful lunar orbit injection maneuver of the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) and the LUPEX joint lunar landing mission with the Indian Space Research Organisation. ISRO Chairman S. Somanath spoke about the impact of India's Chandrayaan-3 mission.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has rescheduled the launch of its H-IIA rocket carrying a moon lander for Thursday morning, after unfavorable wind conditions caused a postponement last month. The rocket is set to take off from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Tanegashima Space Centre in southern Japan. The H-IIA rocket has been Japan's flagship space launch vehicle, with a successful track record since 2001. Japan may provide a subsidy of about 10 billion yen ($68.4 million) to JAXA in fiscal 2024 to support aerospace development initiatives.
Scientists from Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry have successfully tested the resilience of wood in simulated low earth orbit conditions, with magnolia being the most durable. They are now planning to launch a full-blown wooden satellite into orbit next year, which could be a sustainable solution to the growing satellite issue. Wooden satellites could avoid the issue of expensive and harmful aluminum waste when satellites die and fall back to Earth.