Author Topic: Lunar exploration satellite SELENE launch  (Read 4820 times)

Offline eeergo

From JAXA's website: http://www.jaxa.jp/missions/projects/sat/exploration/selene/index_e.html

October 16, 2006 Update
Lunar exploration satellite "SELENE" makes its appearance

On Oct. 13, the lunar exploration satellite, Selenological Engineering Explorer (SELENE), introduced itself to the public at the Tsukuba Space Center. The SELENE is 2.1 meters both in length and width, 4.8 meters in height, and three tons in weight including its two sub-satellites (each of which is about 50 kg.) The satellite is scheduled to be launched by an H-IIA launch vehicle from the Tanegashima Space Center in the summer of next year. It then will circulate on a lunar orbit 100 km above the moon for a year to elucidate the mystery of the lunar origin and development by observing the distribution of elements and minerals on the surface of the moon, its geographical features, surface structure, and gravity and magnetic fields in details.

                                                             

-DaviD-

Offline simonbp

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Re: Lunar exploration satellite SELENE launch
« Reply #1 on: 10/22/2006 03:35 pm »
Wow, I didn't realise how big this mission is; it's got an X-ray spec, a Gamma spec, an IR spec, a 10 m resolution stereo camera, a laser altimeter, a manegtometer, several charged particle detectors, and an HD-TV video camera to boot! And to get all this data, it's going to fly in a polar orbit and carrying along two small relay satellites! JAXA is really beating LRO to the punch with SELENE, and doing a full year before...

Simon ;)

Offline Spiff

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Re: Lunar exploration satellite SELENE launch
« Reply #2 on: 10/23/2006 12:20 pm »
A total of 15 science instruments! That is impressive.
I'm very much looking forward to this mission. :)
I always consider space to be the FIRST frontier.

Offline Spirit

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RE: Lunar exploration satellite SELENE launch
« Reply #3 on: 10/23/2006 03:07 pm »
Three tons in polar lunar orbit? What is the performance of H-IIA?
Regards,
Atanas

Offline eeergo

Re: Lunar exploration satellite SELENE launch
« Reply #4 on: 11/30/2006 08:06 pm »
You can now send your name into Selene, and not codified in a microchip, but printed in actual sheets!

http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2006/11/20061130_selene_e.html

Starting tomorrow, December 1st 2006.
-DaviD-

Offline simonbp

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RE: Lunar exploration satellite SELENE launch
« Reply #5 on: 12/01/2006 04:12 pm »
Quote
Spirit - 23/10/2006  9:50 AM

Three tons in polar lunar orbit? What is the performance of H-IIA?

About 11 tonnes to LEO, roughly compatible to an Atlas V or Delta IV medium.

Simon ;)

Offline MartianBase

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Re: Lunar exploration satellite SELENE launch
« Reply #6 on: 01/21/2007 07:36 am »
Japanese Lunar-A mission may be cancelled soon

Offline eeergo

Re: Lunar exploration satellite SELENE launch
« Reply #7 on: 01/21/2007 10:23 am »
Quote
MartianBase - 21/1/2007  9:36 AMJapanese Lunar-A mission may be cancelled soon
Which mission is that?
-DaviD-

Offline Rocket Guy

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Re: Lunar exploration satellite SELENE launch
« Reply #8 on: 01/21/2007 02:37 pm »
Lunar-A is a separate mission from Selene which has been in the works for over a decade and not come to fruition.

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