Jan 23 2009
From The Space Library
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched Ibuki, the world’s first greenhouse gas-monitoring satellite, from Tanegashima, aboard an H2A rocket. In addition to Ibuki, the rocket carried seven small satellites, which JAXA, university research centers, and private industry had developed. Ibuki, also known as the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT), would help scientists calculate the density of carbon dioxide and methane at the surface of the Earth, collecting data from 56,000 locations around the world, including locations in developing countries. Two sensors on board GOSAT would track solar, infrared rays that the Earth’s surface or atmosphere reflects and would monitor clouds and aerosols. The seven smaller satellites were Prism, an expandable refracting telescope designed to observe Earth as a technology demonstrator; Small Demonstration Satellite 1 (SDS 1) designed to carry out on-orbit verification of a space-wire demonstration module, a cutting-edge microprocessor, and a thin- film solar cell; Kagayaki, designed to measure orbital debris and observe auroral electrical currents; the Space Oriented Higashi-Osaka Leading Association (SOHLA 1), an exploratory satellite that would observe lightning; Sprite-Sat, a cube satellite that would observe sprites and gamma-rays generated during thunderstorms; and KKS 1, a cube satellite designed to demonstrate a micropropulsion system and three-axis attitude-control functions.
Spacewarn Bulletin, no. 663, 1 February 2009, http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/spacewarn/spx663.html (accessed 3 February 2011); Agence France-Presse, “Japan Launches Satellite To Track Greenhouse Gases,” 23 January 2009.
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