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 WIKIA batch of 36 satellites for the OneWeb satellite constellation, which is intended to provide global Internet broadband service for individual consum…
A batch of 56 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Payload consists of 2 second generation Earth-imaging satellites for BlackSky. They are part of a constellation of 60 Low Earth Orbit Earth imagin…
Note: Payload identity uncertain. Bars-M is the second incarnation of the Bars project, which was started in the mid 1990ies to develop a success…
Maiden launch of the Terran 1 rocket developed by Relativity Space.
Small meteorology research satellites using GNSS radio occultation by CASIC subsidiary Xiyong Microelectronics Park. 01 & 02 were launched on Gala…
SES-18 & SES-19 are two communications satellites built by Northrop Grumman.
A batch of 52 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Gaofen is a series of civilian Earth observation satellites developed and launched for the China High-definition Earth Observation System (CHEOS), a …
Payload consists of 2 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites for Capella Space. These 100-kg class satellites will expand Capella’s existing SA…