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Photo: VTV |
On February 22, at the Uchinoura Space Center located in southwestern Japan, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency successfully launched an astronomical satellite into orbit using the M5 rocket, which was developed domestically.
The satellite, named Astro-F, measures 1.9m x 3.7m and weighs approximately 950 kg. It is equipped with a 70cm telescope capable of detecting infrared radiation emitted by celestial bodies with low temperatures and newly formed galaxies. Scientists hope that the Astro-F satellite will discover millions of new astronomical objects, and they plan to establish a comprehensive database of the entire universe by leveraging the satellite’s capabilities for wide-area observation.
This satellite launch was delayed by a day due to adverse weather conditions. This marks Japan’s sixth satellite launch using the M5 rocket and the third satellite launch in the past month. Previously, Japan had launched two disaster monitoring satellites and a multi-functional transport satellite using the H-IIA rocket.
