H-IIA 202 | IGS Optical 7
Launch Successful
L - -- : -- : -- : --
Launch Window
Feb. 9, 2020, 1:34 a.m. - Feb. 9, 2020, 1:39 a.m.
Feb. 9, 2020, 1:34 a.m. - Feb. 9, 2020, 1:39 a.m.
Information Gathering Satellite (IGS) is a Japanese governmental spy satellite program. IGS Optical 7, as the name suggests, is an optical reconnaissance satellite. Japan began development of IGS in the late 1990s, following North Korea’s attempted satellite launch in 1998. Although the North Korean launch failed to reach orbit, the rocket carrying it crossed Japan during its ascent, sparking fears that North Korean missiles would be able to target the islands. With IGS, Japan aimed to develop an independent reconnaissance capability to monitor future threats. The constellation can also be used for disaster monitoring and other civilian applications by the Japanese government.
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.
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
Ku- and Ka-band geostationary communication satellite for China Satcom at 92.2° East, replacing ChinaSat 9.
Unidentified payload for the Russian military.
A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
A batch of 26 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Zhangheng 1-02, also known as CSES-02 (China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite-02), is the follow-on mission to Zhangheng 1/CSES, a Chinese–Italian sp…
A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
A batch of 26 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Synthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company iQPS.
A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
A batch of 26 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
