Japan Launches New Spy Satellite

SPACEWAR

Illustration only of a current model Japanese SpySat.

by Staff Writers
Tokyo (AFP) Feb 24, 2007
Japan launched its latest satellite Saturday, giving Tokyo the ability to spy on any location in the world. The rocket carrying the satellite lifted off from a base in the south of the country at 1:41 pm (0441 GMT), said a spokeswoman for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

It is the last of four spy satellites that Japan decided to put into orbit in 1998 after it was shocked by North Korea firing a missile over its main island.

The fourth satellite was put into orbit with no problems, and will give Japan the ability to spy anywhere on Earth at least once a day.

The rocket also carried an experimental optical satellite to carry out tests for future espionage operations.

"The rocket travelled normally. We confirmed that the information satellites were separated," the agency said in a statement.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hailed the successful launch.

"I am happy to hear that the satellite was successfully put into orbit," he said in a statement.

"I hope our nation's space development will continue to see successes in the future."

Japan sees itself as the top target of North Korea, which tested an atom bomb last year but has recently signed an agreement to shut down key nuclear facilities.

Tokyo also expressed concern when China, North Korea's main ally, shot down one of its own satellites last month, demonstrating its ability to destroy those operated by other nations.

Japan has been expanding its space operations and has set a goal of sending an astronaut to the moon by 2020.

But it suffered an embarrassing failure in November 2003 when it had to destroy a rocket carrying a spy satellite 10 minutes after lift-off because a rocket booster did not separate.

The incident led Japan to suspend launches for more than a year.

Source: Agence France-Presse

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS
Solar Energy Solutions
Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ...

Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News

SPACEWAR

Japan Delays Launch Of Spy Satellite

Tokyo, Japan (XNA) Feb 20, 2007
The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency said Friday that it will delay the launch of a H-2A rocket carrying a spy satellite originally scheduled on Friday afternoon, due to unfavorable weather. The launch of the radar satellite from Tanegashima Space Center in south Japan's Kagoshima prefecture was aimed to complete the country's four-satellite system for intelligence gathering with full global coverage.

CIVIL NUCLEAR Three Russian Companies Found JV To Produce Uranium In Namibia Sweden Restarts Nuclear Reactors Czech Government Rejects Australian Bid For Uranium Mine Russia, RSA Discuss Nuclear Cooperation Program - Agency Head	CLIMATE SCIENCE Global Warming Is Real But Not A Priority Russia, Kyoto Protocol And Climate Change In Chilly Washington Global Warming Gets New Airing Blair Wants New Climate Change Deal Before Exit
FARM NEWS Practice Of Farming Reaches Back Farther Than Thought European Ministers Uphold Hungary's Right To Ban GMO Crop Ban Subsidies To Deep-Sea Fishing Bandits Roses Are Red But Chocolate Can Be Green	FLORA AND FAUNA Warming Climate And Cod Collapse Have Combined To Cause Rapid North Atlantic Ecosystem Lizards Shout Against A Noisy Background To Get Points Across Chimpanzees Found To Use Tools To Hunt Mammalian Prey St Petersburg Court Rejects Schoolgirl Suit Over Darwinism
ROCKET SCIENCE NASA Issues Ares I Upper Stage Production Request For Proposal Engine Helps Satellites Blast Off With Less Fuel NASA Solicits Ideas For Constellation Ground Work New Space Technology Provides Less Shake Rattle And Roll	NUCLEAR SPACE
EARTH OBSERVATION Scientists Gear Up For Envisat 2007 Symposium ITT Passes Critical Design Review for GOES-R Advanced Baseline Imager Sandstorm Over The Mediterranean 3D Upstart Eyes Google Earth With Helicopter	TECH SPACE Rush Is On For Eco-Friendly Fair Trade Fabrics Micro Lander Powers Up For Magnetic Field Test As Rosetta Taps The Brakes While Passing Mars Light Carbon-Fiber Structure Protects Heavy Space Cargo High-Quality Helium Crystals Show Supersolid Behavior

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright Space.TV Corporation. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space.TV Corp on any Web page published or hosted by Space.TV Corp. Privacy Statement