Naruhito
52-424: Reimei ('Dawn') is the in-flight name for a small Japanese satellite known during development as INDEX ( INnovative-technology Demonstration Experiment ), developed in-house at JAXA both to serve as a demonstration of small-satellite technologies (particularly high-performance and high-accuracy attitude control ) and to perform simultaneous optical and charged-particle observation of the aurora . A notable feature
104-566: A Liberal Democratic – Komeito coalition cabinet ( minority government ) since 2024 . The prime minister is nominated by the National Diet, while the remaining ministers are appointed and dismissed by the prime minister. The Cabinet is collectively responsible to the National Diet and must resign if a motion of no confidence is adopted by the National Diet. Under the Constitution of Japan , Cabinet ministers are appointed after
156-641: A hard X-ray detector (HXD). However, the XRS was rendered inoperable due to a malfunction which caused the satellite to lose its supply of liquid helium. The next JAXA x-ray mission is the Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image (MAXI) . MAXI continuously monitors astronomical X-ray objects over a broad energy band (0.5 to 30 keV). MAXI is installed on the Japanese external module of the ISS. On 17 February 2016, Hitomi (ASTRO-H)
208-506: A future mission. On 14 September 2007, JAXA succeeded in launching the lunar orbit explorer Kaguya , also known as SELENE, on an H-2A rocket (costing 55 billion yen including launch vehicle), the largest such mission since the Apollo program . Its mission was to gather data on the Moon's origin and evolution . It entered lunar orbit on 4 October 2007. After 1 year and 8 months, it impacted
260-622: A miniature satellite into orbit atop one of its SS520 series rockets. A second attempt on 2 February 2018 was successful, putting a four kilogram CubeSat into Earth orbit. The rocket, known as the SS-520-5, is the world's smallest orbital launcher. In 2023, JAXA began operating the H3 , which will replace the H-IIA and H-IIIB; the H3 is a liquid-fueled launch vehicle developed from a completely new design like
312-475: A phenomenon in which the cloud top winds in the troposphere circulates around the planet faster than the speed that Venus itself rotates. A thorough explanation for this phenomenon has yet been found. JAXA/ISAS was part of the international Laplace Jupiter mission proposal from its foundation. A Japanese contribution was sought in the form of an independent orbiter to research Jupiter's magnetosphere, JMO (Jupiter Magnetospheric Orbiter). Although JMO never left
364-488: Is Explore to Realize (formerly Reaching for the skies, exploring space ). On 1 October 2003, three organizations were merged to form the new JAXA: Japan's Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), the National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan (NAL), and National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). JAXA was formed as an Independent Administrative Institution administered by
416-471: Is not pointed towards Earth. The mission was considered fully successful after confirmation that its primary goal, landing within 100 m (330 ft) of the target was achieved, despite subsequent issues. On 29 January, the lander resumed operations after being shutdown for a week. JAXA said it re-established contact with the lander and its solar cells were working again after a shift in lighting conditions allowed it to catch sunlight. After that, SLIM
468-503: Is planned to have a temperature of just 4.5 K and will be much colder. Unlike Akari, which had a geocentric orbit , SPICA will be located at Sun–Earth L 2 . The launch is expected in 2027 or 2028 on JAXA's new H3 Launch Vehicle , however the mission is not yet fully funded. ESA and NASA may also each contribute an instrument. The SPICA mission was cancelled in 2020. Starting from 1979 with Hakucho (CORSA-b), for nearly two decades Japan had achieved continuous observation. However, in
520-518: Is reviewing a new spacecraft mission to the Martian system; a sample return mission to Phobos called MMX (Martian Moons Explorer). First revealed on 9 June 2015, MMX's primary goal is to determine the origin of the Martian moons . Alongside collecting samples from Phobos, MMX will perform remote sensing of Deimos , and may also observe the atmosphere of Mars as well. As of December 2023, MMX
572-532: Is the Japanese national air and space agency . Through the merger of three previously independent organizations, JAXA was formed on 1 October 2003. JAXA is responsible for research, technology development and launch of satellites into orbit , and is involved in many more advanced missions such as asteroid exploration and possible human exploration of the Moon . Its motto is One JAXA and its corporate slogan
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#1732773324841624-816: Is the 25 μm-thick polyimide mirrors used for concentrating sunlight onto the solar arrays . It is 72 cm × 62 cm × 62 cm and weighs 72 kilograms. The construction budget was $ 4 million. The satellite was launched into a near- Sun-synchronous 630 km orbit on 24 August 2005 as a piggyback on the OICETS launch on the Dnepr launch vehicle. JAXA The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ( JAXA ) ( 国立研究開発法人宇宙航空研究開発機構 , Kokuritsu-kenkyū-kaihatsu-hōjin Uchū Kōkū Kenkyū Kaihatsu Kikō , lit. ' National Research and Development Agency Aerospace Research and Development Organisation ' )
676-521: Is the chief executive body of the government of Japan . It consists of the prime minister , who is appointed by the Emperor after being nominated by the National Diet , in addition to up to nineteen other members, called ministers of state . The current cabinet is Second Ishiba Cabinet , which was formed on 11 November 2024, is led by the prime minister Shigeru Ishiba . The country has had
728-527: Is the first all sky survey since the first infrared mission IRAS in 1983. (A 3.6 kg nanosatellite named CUTE-1.7 was also released from the same launch vehicle.) JAXA is also doing further R&D for increasing the performance of its mechanical coolers for its future infrared mission, SPICA . This would enable a warm launch without liquid helium. SPICA has the same size as the ESA Herschel Space Observatory mission, but
780-460: Is to be launched in fiscal year 2026. On 9 August 2004, ISAS successfully deployed two prototype solar sails from a sounding rocket. A clover-type sail was deployed at 122 km altitude and a fan type sail was deployed at 169 km altitude. Both sails used 7.5 micrometer -thick film. ISAS tested a solar sail again as a sub-payload to the Akari (ASTRO-F) mission on 22 February 2006. However
832-570: Is to have a solar sail mission to Jupiter after 2020. The first Japanese astronomy mission was the X-ray satellite Hakucho (CORSA-b), which was launched in 1979. Later ISAS moved into solar observation, radio astronomy through space VLBI and infrared astronomy. Active Missions: SOLAR-B , MAXI , SPRINT-A , CALET , XRISM Under Development: Retired: HALCA , ASTRO-F , ASTRO-EII , and ASTRO-H Cancelled(C)/Failed(F): ASTRO-E (F), ASTRO-G (C), Japan's infrared astronomy began with
884-765: The H-II Transfer Vehicle six times. This cargo spacecraft was responsible for resupplying the Kibo Japanese Experiment Module on the International Space Station . To be able to launch smaller mission on JAXA developed a new solid-fueled rocket, the Epsilon as a replacement to the retired M-V . The maiden flight successfully happened in 2013. So far, the rocket has flown six times with one launch failure. In January 2017, JAXA attempted and failed to put
936-629: The HALCA mission. Additional success was achieved with solar observation and research of the magnetosphere , among other areas. NASDA, which was founded on 1 October 1969, had developed rockets , satellites, and also built the Japanese Experiment Module . The old NASDA headquarters were located at the current site of the Tanegashima Space Center , on Tanegashima Island , 115 kilometers south of Kyūshū . NASDA
988-653: The Hiten lunar mission in 1990. The first Japanese interplanetary mission was the Mars Orbiter Nozomi (PLANET-B), which was launched in 1998. It passed Mars in 2003, but failed to reach Mars orbit due to maneuvering systems failures earlier in the mission. Currently interplanetary missions remain at the ISAS group under the JAXA umbrella. However, for FY 2008 JAXA is planning to set up an independent working group within
1040-522: The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC). Before the merger, ISAS was responsible for space and planetary research, while NAL was focused on aviation research. ISAS had been most successful in its space program in the field of X-ray astronomy during the 1980s and 1990s. Another successful area for Japan has been Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) with
1092-536: The inner Solar System , and emphasis has been put on magnetospheric and atmospheric research. The Mars explorer Nozomi (PLANET-B), which ISAS launched prior to the merger of the three aerospace institutes, became one of the earliest difficulties the newly formed JAXA faced. Nozomi ultimately passed 1,000 km from the surface of Mars. On 20 May 2010, the Venus Climate Orbiter Akatsuki (PLANET-C) and IKAROS solar sail demonstrator
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#17327733248411144-549: The 15-cm IRTS telescope which was part of the SFU multipurpose satellite in 1995. ISAS also gave ground support for the ESA Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) infrared mission. JAXA's first infrared astronomy satellite was the Akari spacecraft, with the pre-launch designation ASTRO-F . This satellite was launched on 21 February 2006. Its mission is infrared astronomy with a 68 cm telescope. This
1196-626: The Cabinet. Contrary to the practice in many constitutional monarchies , the Emperor is not even the nominal chief executive. Instead, the Constitution explicitly vests executive authority in the Cabinet. Hence, nearly all of the day-to-day work of governing is done by the Cabinet. In practice, much of the Cabinet's authority is exercised by the prime minister. Under the Constitution, the prime minister exercises "control and supervision" over
1248-471: The Constitution, Ministers of State are not subject to legal action without the consent of the prime minister during their tenure of office. The current cabinet, led by the newly appointed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba , and succeeded the First Ishiba Cabinet . Ishiba is currently in the process of forming his cabinet, following the 2024 General Election . As of 11 November 2024,
1300-816: The ETS-VI and COMETS missions. In February 2018, JAXA announced a research collaboration with Sony to test a laser communication system from the Kibo module in late 2018. Testing of communication technologies remains to be one of JAXA's key duties in cooperation with NICT . Cabinet of Japan [REDACTED] Fumihito [REDACTED] Shigeru Ishiba ( LDP ) Second Ishiba Cabinet ( LDP – Komeito coalition ) [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Fukushiro Nukaga Kōichirō Genba [REDACTED] Masakazu Sekiguchi Hiroyuki Nagahama Saburo Tokura Kazuo Ueda The Cabinet of Japan ( Japanese : 内閣 , Hepburn : Naikaku )
1352-588: The H-II, rather than an improved development like the H-IIA and H-IIB, which were based on the H-II. The design goal of the H3 is to increase launch capability at a lower cost than the H-IIA and H-IIB. To achieve this, an expander bleed cycle was used for the first time in the world for the first stage of the engine. Japan's first missions beyond Earth orbit were the 1985 Halley's comet observation spacecraft Sakigake (MS-T5) and Suisei (PLANET-A). To prepare for future missions, ISAS tested Earth swing by orbits with
1404-542: The ISAS, and to dramatically improve its launch capability over previous licensed models. To achieve these two goals, a staged combustion cycle was adopted for the first stage engine, the LE-7 . The combination of the liquid hydrogen two-stage combustion cycle first stage engine and solid rocket boosters was carried over to its successor, the H-IIA and H-IIB and became the basic configuration of Japan's liquid fuel launch vehicles for 30 years, from 1994 to 2024. In 2003, JAXA
1456-768: The Prime Minister's Cabinet Office through a new Space Strategy Office. JAXA uses the H-IIA (H "two" A) rocket from the former NASDA body as a medium-lift launch vehicle . JAXA has also developed a new medium-lift vehicle H3 . For smaller launch needs, JAXA uses the Epsilon rocket. For experiments in the upper atmosphere JAXA uses the SS-520 , S-520 , and S-310 sounding rockets . Historical, nowadays retired, JAXA orbital rockets are as follows: Mu rocket family ( M-V ) and H-IIB . Japan launched its first satellite, Ohsumi , in 1970, using ISAS' L-4S rocket. Prior to
1508-429: The appointment of a new prime minister. While they are in office, legal action may not be taken against Cabinet ministers without the consent of the prime minister. The Cabinet must resign en masse in the following circumstances: The Cabinet exercises two kinds of power. Some of its powers are nominally exercised by the Emperor with the binding "advice and approval" of the Cabinet. Other powers are explicitly vested in
1560-643: The conception phase, ISAS scientists will see their instruments reaching Jupiter on the ESA-led JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer) mission. JUICE is a reformulation of the ESA Ganymede orbiter from the Laplace project. JAXA's contribution includes providing components of the RPWI (Radio & Plasma Wave Investigation), PEP (Particle Environment Package), GALA (GAnymede Laser Altimeter) instruments. JAXA
1612-491: The executive branch, and no law or Cabinet order can take effect without the prime minister's countersignature (and the emperor's promulgation). While Cabinet Ministers in most other parliamentary democracies theoretically have some freedom of action (within the limits of cabinet collective responsibility ), the Japanese Cabinet is effectively an extension of the prime minister's authority. According to Article 75 of
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1664-458: The former ISAS's Mu rockets. Instead a H-2A from Tanegashima could launch it. As H-2A is more powerful, SOLAR-C could either be heavier or be stationed at L 1 ( Lagrange point 1). In 1997, Japan launched the HALCA (MUSES-B) mission, the world's first spacecraft dedicated to conduct space VLBI observations of pulsars, among others. To do so, ISAS set up a ground network around the world through international cooperation. The observation part of
1716-434: The lag time between these interplanetary events and mission planning time, opportunities to gain new knowledge about the cosmos might be lost. To prevent this, JAXA began commencing smaller and faster missions from 2010 onward. In 2012, new legislation extended JAXA's remit from peaceful purposes only to include some military space development, such as missile early warning systems. Political control of JAXA passed from MEXT to
1768-498: The lander will wake up after a few days when sunlight should hit the solar panels. Two rovers, LEV 1 and 2, deployed during hovering just before final landing are working as expected with LEV-1 communicating independently to the ground stations. LEV-1 conducted seven hops over 107 minutes on the lunar surface. Images taken by LEV-2 show that it landed in the wrong attitude with loss of an engine nozzle during descent and even possible sustained damage to lander's Earth bound antenna which
1820-461: The lunar surface on 10 June 2009 at 18:25 UTC. JAXA launched its first lunar surface mission SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) in 2023. It successfully soft landed on 19 January 2024 at 15:20 UTC, making Japan the 5th country to do so. The main goal of SLIM was to improve the accuracy of spacecraft landing on the Moon and to land a spacecraft within 100 meters of its target, which no spacecraft had achieved before. SLIM landed 55 meters from
1872-529: The merger, ISAS used small Mu rocket family of solid-fueled launch vehicles, while NASDA developed larger liquid-fueled launchers. In the beginning, NASDA used licensed American models. The first model of liquid-fueled launch vehicle developed domestically in Japan was the H-II , introduced in 1994. NASDA developed the H-II with two goals in mind: to be able to launch satellites using only its own technology, such as
1924-488: The mission lasted until 2003 and the satellite was retired at the end of 2005. In FY 2006, Japan funded the ASTRO-G as the succeeding mission. ASTRO-G was canceled in 2011. One of the primary duties of the former NASDA body was the testing of new space technologies, mostly in the field of communication. The first test satellite was ETS-I, launched in 1975. However, during the 1990s, NASDA was afflicted by problems surrounding
1976-577: The mission was to collect samples from a small near-Earth asteroid named 25143 Itokawa . The craft rendezvoused with the asteroid in September 2005. It was confirmed that the spacecraft successfully landed on the asteroid in November 2005, after some initial confusion regarding the incoming data. Hayabusa returned to Earth with samples from the asteroid on 13 June 2010. Hayabusa was the world's first spacecraft to return asteroid samples to Earth and
2028-606: The night on the lunar surface while maintaining communication capabilities. At that time it was solar noon on the Moon so the temperature of the communications equipment was extremely high, so communication was terminated after only a short period of time. JAXA is now preparing for resumed operations, once the temperature has fallen sufficiently. The feat of surviving lunar night without a Radioisotope heater unit had only been achieved by some landers in Surveyor Program . Japan's planetary missions have so far been limited to
2080-405: The organization. New head for this group will be Hayabusa project manager Kawaguchi. Active Missions: PLANET-C , IKAROS , Hayabusa2 , BepiColombo , SLIM Under Development: MMX , DESTINY Retired: PLANET-B , SELENE , MUSES-C , LEV-1, LEV-2 Cancelled: LUNAR-A On 9 May 2003, Hayabusa (meaning Peregrine falcon ), was launched from an M-V rocket. The goal of
2132-486: The selection of the prime minister. A majority of the Cabinet, including the prime minister, must be members of the National Diet, and all members must be civilians . Under the Cabinet Law, the number of Cabinet ministers (excluding the prime minister) must be fourteen or less, but this may be increased to nineteen if a special need arises. If the Cabinet collectively resigns, it continues to exercise its functions until
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2184-564: The solar sail did not deploy fully. ISAS tested a solar sail again as a sub payload of the SOLAR-B launch at 23 September 2006, but contact with the probe was lost. The IKAROS solar sail was launched in May 2010 and successfully demonstrated solar sail technology in July. This made IKAROS the world's first spacecraft to successfully demonstrate solar sail technology in interplanetary space. The goal
2236-450: The target landing site, and JAXA announced that it was the world's first successful "pinpoint landing. Although it landed successfully, it landed with the solar panels oriented westwards, facing away from the Sun at the start of lunar day , thereby failing to generate enough power. The lander operated on internal battery power, which was fully drained that day. The mission's operators hope that
2288-487: The time. In November 2003, JAXA's first launch after its inauguration, H-IIA No. 6, failed, but all other H-IIA launches were successful, and as of February 2024, the H-IIA had successfully launched 47 of its 48 launches. JAXA plans to end H-IIA operations with H-IIA Flight No. 50 and retire it by March 2025. JAXA operated the H-IIB , an upgraded version of the H-IIA, from September 2009 to May 2020 and successfully launched
2340-494: The world's first spacecraft to make a round trip to a celestial body farther from Earth than the Moon. Hayabusa2 was launched in 2014 and returned samples from asteroid 162173 Ryugu to Earth in 2020. After Hiten in 1990, JAXA planned a lunar penetrator mission called LUNAR-A but after delays due to technical problems, the project was terminated in January 2007. The seismometer penetrator design for LUNAR-A may be reused in
2392-541: The year 2000 the launch of ISAS's X-ray observation satellite, ASTRO-E failed (as it failed at launch it never received a proper name). Then on 10 July 2005, JAXA was finally able to launch a new X-ray astronomy mission named Suzaku (ASTRO-EII). This launch was important for JAXA, because in the five years since the launch failure of the original ASTRO-E satellite, Japan was without an x-ray telescope . Three instruments were included in this satellite: an X-ray spectrometer (XRS), an X-ray imaging spectrometer (XIS), and
2444-536: Was formed by merging Japan's three space agencies to streamline Japan's space program, and JAXA took over operations of the H-IIA liquid-fueled launch vehicle, the M-V solid-fuel launch vehicle, and several observation rockets from each agency. The H-IIA is a launch vehicle that improved reliability while reducing costs by making significant improvements to the H-II, and the M-V was the world's largest solid-fuel launch vehicle at
2496-526: Was launched as the successor to Suzaku, which completed its mission a year before. Japan's solar astronomy started in the early 1980s with the launch of the Hinotori (ASTRO-A) X-ray mission. The Hinode (SOLAR-B) spacecraft, the follow-on to the joint Japan/US/UK Yohkoh (SOLAR-A) spacecraft, was launched on 23 September 2006 by JAXA. A SOLAR-C can be expected sometime after 2020. However no details are worked out yet other than it will not be launched with
2548-424: Was launched by a H-2A launch vehicle. On 7 December 2010, Akatsuki was unable to complete its Venus orbit insertion maneuver. Akatsuki finally entered Venus orbit on 7 December 2015, making it the first Japanese spacecraft to orbit another planet, sixteen years after the originally planned orbital insertion of Nozomi. One of Akatsuki's main goal is to uncover the mechanism behind Venus atmosphere's super-rotation ,
2600-531: Was mostly active in the field of communication satellite technology. However, since the satellite market of Japan is completely open, the first time a Japanese company won a contract for a civilian communication satellite was in 2005. Another prime focus of the NASDA body is Earth climate observation. NASDA also trained the Japanese astronauts who flew with the US Space Shuttles . The Basic Space Law
2652-794: Was passed in 2008, and the jurisdictional authority of JAXA moved from MEXT to the Strategic Headquarters for Space Development (SHSD) in the Cabinet , led by the Prime Minister . In 2016, the National Space Policy Secretariat (NSPS) was set up by the Cabinet. JAXA was awarded the Space Foundation 's John L. "Jack" Swigert Jr., Award for Space Exploration in 2008. Planning interplanetary research missions can take many years. Due to
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#17327733248412704-402: Was put into sleep mode due to the approaching harsh lunar night where temperatures reach −120 °C (−184 °F). SLIM was expected to operate only for one lunar daylight period, which lasts for 14 Earth days, and the on-board electronics were not designed to withstand the nighttime temperatures on the Moon. On 25 February 2024, JAXA sent wake-up calls and found SLIM had successfully survived
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