GOSAT-GW

Overview

Destination: Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Mission: Earth Science

Sun-Synchronous Orbit Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-1 Tanegashima Space Center, Japan

GOSAT-GW (Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite Greenhouse gases and Water cycle), formerly known as GOSAT 3, is JAXA's next generation satellite to monitor the greenhosue gases like carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere. It is the follow on to the GOSAT 2 (Ibuki 2) and GCOM-W (Shizuku) missions. GOSAT-GW will have two missions: greenhouse gases observation for Japan's Ministry of the Environment and the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), and water-cycle observation for JAXA. By developing the GOSAT-GW satellite, Mitsubishi Electric will contribute to measures for preventing disasters attributed to global warming and climate change, and to advance scientific and technological methods that enable more accurate prediction of climate change. In December 2013, Mitsubishi Electric (MELCO) was selected as the prime contractor for the spacecraft and the instruments.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • April 25, 2025, 5:11 a.m.

GO for launch.


Cosmic_Penguin • April 23, 2025, 4:59 a.m.

NET June 23 UTC/early morning June 24 JST.


Cosmic_Penguin • March 18, 2025, 9:28 p.m.

NET June 2025.


Cosmic_Penguin • Dec. 9, 2024, 10:56 a.m.

NET Q2 due to satellite testing delays.


Cosmic_Penguin • Jan. 9, 2024, 2:26 p.m.

Tweaked approximate launch date per launch manifest (P.129 of source).


H-IIA

Family:
Configuration: 202

H-IIA (H2A) is an active expendable launch system operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The liquid-fueled H-IIA rockets have been used to launch satellites into geostationary orbit, to launch a lunar orbiting spacecraft, and to launch Akatsuki, which studied the planet Venus. Launches occur at the Tanegashima Space Center.

Specifications
  • Stages
    2
  • Length
    53.0 m
  • Diameter
    4.0 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    4.0 m
  • Launch Mass
    285.0 T
  • Thrust
    2260.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    H-IIA
  • Family
  • Variant
    202
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    H-IIA 202
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $90000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    10000.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    4100.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

(MHI)

President: Seiji Izumisawa Founded: 1884 Successes: 53 Failures: 1 Pending: 13

Agency Type:

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. is a Japanese multinational engineering, electrical equipment and electronics company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. MHI is one of the core companies of the Mitsubishi Group. MHI's products include aerospace components, air conditioners, aircraft, automotive components, forklift trucks, hydraulic equipment, machine tools, missiles, power generation equipment, printing machines, ships and space launch vehicles. Through its defense-related activities, it is the world's 23rd-largest defense contractor measured by 2011 defense revenues and the largest based in Japan.

INFO WIKI

Tanegashima Space Center, Japan

Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-1


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