KIZUNA (WINDS) launch

[anik]

"KIZUNA" chosen as nickname for "WINDS"!
http://www.jaxa.jp/topics/2007/10_e.html
 
"The Wideband InterNetworking engineering Test and Demonstration Satellite (WINDS) is a super-high speed Internet satellite scheduled to be launched in the coming Winter launch season.
As a result of asking the public to nominate a nickname for it, 9,657 suggestions were received in total. Among them, "KIZUNA," meaning "ties" or "bonds," was chosen after 452 nominations for it were received, indicating the strong hope for the satellite to play the role of bonding people.
The "KIZUNA" is now undergoing its final verification test at the Tsukuba Space Center, and will be transported to Tanegasima in early November to be ready for the launch"

http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/winds/index_e.html

[Satori]

From the JAXA/KIZUNA site:

Satellite system arrived at TNSC
 
The WINDS, which completed a system proto-flight test at the Tsukuba Space Center (TKSC,) was transported to the Tanegashima Space Center (TNSC.)

The satellite, which moved out from the TKSC (Photo A,) was transported via land and sea, and arrived at the TNSC on October 27 (Photo B.) The launch site tests have started at the Spacecraft Test and Assembly Building 2 (STA2) at the TNSC.

(Photo C: The KIZUNA loaded onto the satellite transporter) At the TNSC, preparations for the KIZUNA launch are underway.

[William Graham]

Any news on when this is going to launch? The last I heared was November, so I'm assuming that it's been delayed from then. Can we expect it to go before the end of the year?

Also, which H-IIA variant will this be launched on?

[Satori]

GW_Simulations - 20/11/2007  5:59 PM

Any news on when this is going to launch? The last I heared was November, so I'm assuming that it's been delayed from then. Can we expect it to go before the end of the year?

Also, which H-IIA variant will this be launched on?

I'm not sure on this but I think the launch will take place in December and Kizuna will be launched by a H-2A/2024.

[William Graham]

Thanks

[Satori]

Apparentely the launch of Kizuna (WINDS) will take place only in 2008 according to this.

[eeergo]

The fairing for the HII-A rocket has been delivered:

http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=53639

[Satori]

The launch of Kizuna (WINDS) will probably take place on February 15th.

The "2007 winter rocket launch and tracking and control plan Super high-speed Internet satellite (WINDS)/H-IIA rocket 14 machine (H-IIA F14)" is here (in japanese).

[Satori]

The japanese space agency, JAXA, announced that the launch of Kizuna (WINDS) is schedule for February 15th. See press-release.

The Special Site of Kizuna (WINDS).

[Satori]

Some information about the H-2A for the Kizuna launch are available on the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries page.

[Ronsmytheiii]

I remember reading that satellite internet has extremely large latency issues (from 2 to 3 secconds, deadly in most online gaming, im, and voip services)  What is the latency for Winds, and how are some ways to reduce it?

[MKremer]

The same, because a lot of the latency is due to the distance to the satellite and back (and you can't make signals at the speed of light go any faster), also signal processing and conversion have to be done at both ends of the sat link.

[hop]

Ronsmytheiii - 1/2/2008  10:56 AM

I remember reading that satellite internet has extremely large latency issues (from 2 to 3 secconds, deadly in most online gaming, im, and voip services)  What is the latency for Winds, and how are some ways to reduce it?

Light time round trip to GSO accounts for roughly 0.3 of a second (depending on the geometry, since neither end point is likely to be directly under the satellite, and if both are, you are really doing something wrong.) In my experience, actual  connections that go over a satellite link tend to be between 0.5 and .75 of sec. That's enough to be pretty unusable for fast action games, but it's not a deal breaker for most common internet applications.

2-3 seconds would be excessive, unless you live on the moon.

[Jirka Dlouhy]

Is weight of Kizuna (2700 kg) dry or it´s weight by launch? Thanks for info

[Satori]

From JAXA, "KIZUNA" finally moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building.

Is weight of Kizuna (2700 kg) dry or it´s weight by launch? Thanks for info

The launch mass of Kizuna is 4850 kg, in-orbit mass is 2750 kg.