NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

GCOM-C & SLATS

Launch Time
Sat Dec 23, 2017 01:26 UTC

Rocket

H-IIA 202
Image Credit: MHI
MHI
Status: Active
Price: $90.0 million
Payload to LEO: 10,000 kg
Payload to GTO: 4,100 kg
Stages: 2
Strap-ons: 2
Rocket Height: 53.0 m
Fairing Diameter: 4.07 m
Fairing Height: 12.0 m

Mission Details

GCOM-C

GCOM-C (Global Change Observation Mission – Climate "Shikisai"), the first satellite in the GCOM-C series, will monitor global climate change by observing the surface and atmosphere of Earth over the course of 5 years. Through use of its SGLI (Second generation Global Imager) optical instrument, it will collect data related to the carbon cycle and radiation budget, such as measurements of clouds, aerosols, ocean color, vegetation, and snow and ice.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 1,950.0 kg
Sun-Synchronous Orbit

SLATS

SLATS, the Super Low Altitude Test Satellite, is a JAXA satellite intended to demonstrate operations in very low Earth orbit (below 200 km), using ion engines to cancel out aerodynamic drag and equipped with sensors to determine atomic oxygen density, an exposure facility to measure material degradation in the 200 km orbit, and a small camera.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 350.0 kg
Polar Orbit

Location

LA-Y1, Tanegashima Space Center, Japan

Stats

2017

87th orbital launch attempt

H-IIA

37th mission
6th mission of 2017
36th successful mission
31st consecutive successful mission