Ōsumi (or Ohsumi, おおすみ) was the first Japanese satellite put into orbit. It was launched on February 11, 1970 at 04:25 UTC with a Lambda 4S-5 rocket from Uchinoura Space Center by Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science, University of Tokyo, now part of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Japan became the fourth nation after the USSR, United States and France to release an artificial satellite into successful orbit on its own. The satellite was named after the Ōsumi Peninsula in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, where the launch site was located.
 Artist's rendition of Ohsumi in orbit. | |
| Mission type | Earth science |
|---|---|
| Operator | Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science, University of Tokyo (now part of JAXA) |
| COSPAR ID | 1970-011A |
| SATCAT no. | 04330 |
| Mission duration | 33 years, 5 months and 21 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Launch mass | 24.0 kilograms (52.9 lb)[1] |
| Power | 10.3 watt[1] |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | February 11, 1970, 04:25 UTC |
| Rocket | Lambda-4S |
| Launch site | Kagoshima LA-L |
| Contractor | ISAS |
| End of mission | |
| Last contact | February 12, 1970[2] |
| Decay date | August 2, 2003[3] |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Medium Earth |
| Eccentricity | 0.262379[4] |
| Perigee altitude | 350 kilometres (220 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 5,140 kilometres (3,190 mi) |
| Inclination | 31.0 degrees[5] |
| Period | 144.0 minutes |
| Epoch | 10 February 1970, 23:25:00 UTC[4] |
The only instruments the satellite carried were an accelerometer and thermometer.[6] It also had a radio transmitter and was powered by batteries.[6]
The radio transmitter failed after 15 hours while the satellite remained in orbit until August 2003.[6]
See also
References
External links
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