On October 31, 2007, the first high-definition television images of the moon were taken by the lunar explorer 'Kaguya,' a probe launched jointly by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation). The probe was carried into space by the H-IIA launch system.
The H-IIA (pronounced "H two A") is a family rockets manufactured for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). They are designed to launch satellites bound for geostationary orbit.
There are four members in the H-IIA family:
1) The H2a202 has 2 SRBs
2) The H2a2022 has 2 SRBs and 2 SSBs
3) The H2a2024 has 2 SRBs and 4 SSBs
4) The H2a204 has 4 SRBs
SRBs = Solid Rocket Boosters
SSBs = Solid Strap-on Boosters
The more boosters the rocket has, the more mass it can launch into Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). The model at the museum is an H2a2022.
H-IIA rockets launch from the Tanegashima Space Center, located at the southeastern end of the island of Tanegashima (one of Japan's most southerly islands).
The first H-IIA launch occured on August 29, 2001. As of March, 2006, there had been a total of nine launches, eight of which were a success.
You will see the words "NIPPON" and "NASDA" on the model at the museum. Nippon is Japanese for Japan and NASDA is the acronym for Japan's National Space Development Agency. NASDA was one of the three Japanese organizations that merged to create JAXA in 2003.
For more information:
- Hi-def video of the moon
- Press release for the 'Kaguya' mission
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H-II_A
- http://www.jaxa.jp/missions/projects/rockets/h2a/index_e.html
- http://tinyurl.com/hme69
Author(s): Troy McLuhan (unknown date prior to 2007 December 31)
Editors(s): Lora Chadbourne (2007 November 11)
