Akatsuki Venus Climate Orbiter Options

[Paolo]

I thought it was time to start a separate thread on this mission, launching soon
some good medium-resolution images of the spacecraft are available on JAXA digital archives
http://jda.jaxa.jp/jda/p3_e.php?time=N&...mp;mission=4066

[Greg Hullender]

Here's a link to the Akatski "Special Site," which, among other things, includes a countdown.

http://www.jaxa.jp/countdown/f17/index_e.html

In the past, we've seen Japanese sites where the English content was sparse and very hard to read, but on this site, the English is excellent, although obviously not native. As a linguist and a Japanese speaker, I'm very impressed with whoever is doing it, and wish we had some way to encourage them. (Or to encourage their bosses.)

I had actually thought we should find a way to volunteer to help polish the English for JAXA -- it would be a great way to give something back -- but it's clear they don't need that for this project. Way to go!

--Greg

[punkboi]

March 18, 2010 Updated

AKATSUKI leaves for Tanegashima

The Venus Climate Orbiter "AKATSUKI" left the Sagamihara Campus for the Tanegashima Space Center (TNSC) on the evening of March 17.

The AKATSUKI will be delivered to the TNSC on the 19th. It will undergo final launch preparations there.

http://www.jaxa.jp/countdown/f17/index_e.html

[robspace54]

http://www.jaxa.jp/countdown/f17/overview/akatsuki_e.html

Planet-C (Ataksuki or the Venus Climate Orbiter) getting ready to launch. Ataksuki will examine the planet Venus using infrared scanning, something that has not been done by an orbiting spacecraft. Launch will happen in on H-IIA in May 18, 2010.

http://www.stp.isas.jaxa.jp/venus/E_intro.html


Major Characteristics of AKATSUKI
Shape and Size Box shape with two wing-type solar array paddles
(1.04 meters x 1.45 meters x 1.4 meters)
Scheduled Orbit Type: Venus elliptical orbit
PeriVenus: 300 km
ApoVenus: about 80,000 km
Orbital Period: 30 hours
Orbital Inclination: 172 degrees
Scheduled Life 4.5 years after liftoff
Mass Mass at liftoff: about 500 kg
Power Generated Power in Venus Orbit: about 500 W (at the end of the mission)
Mission Equipment
for Scientific Observation Mission Equipment / Major Observation Target
- 1μm camera (IR1) / Low stratus, vapor, active volcanism
- 2μmcamera (IR2) / Low stratus, trace gasses, zodiacal light
- Long wave infrared camera (LIR) / Cloud-top temperature distribution
- Ultraviolet imager (UVI) / Cloud-top ultraviolet absorber, SO2
- Lightening and airglow camera: (LAC) / Lightening flash, high-stratus airglow emission
- Ultra-stable Oscillator (USO) / Atmospheric temperature structure


http://www.stp.isas.jaxa.jp/venus/download.html#illust

Paper models (1:30 scale) are accessible from the above link. Note that 2009, 2007 and 2001 versions are on this page. The paper size of the 2009 version is 7.49 inches x 10.81 inches (190.25 mm x 274.57 mm) - which is an odd size, I think.

The H-IIA launcher will also carry five piggyback satellites, including IKAROS - a solar sail test mission.

Rob

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[punkboi]

The IKAROS solar sail is set to join Akatsuki at Tanegashima Space Center around April 2, after leaving the Sagamihara campus on March 29...according to Spaceflightnow.com

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/h2a/akatsuki/100322shipment/

[Vultur]

IKAROS sounds really cool, is there any website to find more info on it?

[Vultur]

Thanks.

Yay, solar sails!

[punkboi]

IKAROS is now inside a clean room at the Tanegashima Space Center...according to its Twitter page

http://twitter.com/ikaroskun

I used Babylon.com to translate the Tweet

http://translation.babylon.com/Japanese/to-English/

[punkboi]

There haven't been any online updates about Akatsuki since...March 19, but the IKAROS solar sail is being transported to the Spacecraft and Fairing Assembly (SFA) Building at Tanegashima Space Center tomorrow. There, IKAROS will eventually be encapsulated by the payload fairing before being attached to the H-2A launch vehicle.

About 27 days and counting...

http://twitter.com/ikaroskun

[punkboi]

Akatsuki and IKAROS are now mated together in the SFA.

http://twitter.com/ikaroskun

If the Google translations aren't the epitome of sexual innuendo, I don't know what is.

[punkboi]

Akatsuki and IKAROS ready for fairing encapsulation and attachment to H-2A rocket

http://www.stp.isas.jaxa.jp/venus/

Akatsuki has a Twitter page as well

http://twitter.com/Akatsuki_JAXA

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[Mark6]

Well, I had to update my long-neglected web page:

Active Interplanetary Probes at Any Given Time

The only reason I neglected it is because not a lot changed in last 10 months or so.

Paolo, when is your third book coming out?

[Paolo]

Paolo, when is your third book coming out?

I think it will be in 2011. In fact, it probably will be expanded to cover 2010 as well. I have already written most of the section on Akatsuki

[tedstryk]

Well, I had to update my long-neglected web page:

Active Interplanetary Probes at Any Given Time

Pioneer 5 seems conspicuously absent.

[Mark6]

Pioneer 5 seems conspicuously absent.

Odd. Somehow I missed it completely...

OK, will fix it!