 | The factual accuracy of parts of this article (those related to article) may be compromised due to out-of-date information. (August 2011) |
| Mission type | Technology Remote sensing |
|---|---|
| Operator | Waseda University |
| COSPAR ID | 2010-020B |
| SATCAT no. | 36574 |
| Website | www |
| Mission duration | 53 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | 1U CubeSat |
| Launch mass | 1.2 kilograms (2.6 lb) |
| Dimensions | 10-centimetre (3.9 in) cube |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 20 May 2010, 21:58:22 UTC |
| Rocket | H-IIA 202 |
| Launch site | Tanegashima Yoshinobu 1 |
| Contractor | Mitsubishi |
| End of mission | |
| Decay date | 12 July 2010 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee altitude | 290 kilometres (180 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 303 kilometres (188 mi) |
| Inclination | 29.9 degrees |
| Period | 90.44 minutes |
| Epoch | 23 May 2010[1] |
Waseda-SAT2 is a Japanese satellite which launched in May 2010. It is a student-built spacecraft, which will be operated by Waseda University, and is intended to be used for Earth observation[2] and technology demonstration. It will test the use of extendible paddles to provide attitude control.[3] The satellite is a single unit CubeSat.
The launch was conducted by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries under contract to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. In preparation for a planned launch on 17 May, the H-IIA rocket was rolled out to Pad 1 of the Yoshinobu Launch Complex at the Tanegashima Space Centre on 16 May 2010. It departed the assembly building at 21:01 UTC and arriving at the launch pad 24 minutes later at 21:25 UTC.[4] The terminal countdown began at 11:30 UTC on 17 May and by 15:28, the loading of cryogenic propellant into the rocket's first and second stages had been completed.[4] The launch attempt was scrubbed a few minutes before liftoff due to bad weather, but took place successfully at 21:58:22 UTC on 20 May 2010.
Waseda was deployed from a JAXA Picosatellite Deployer attached to the second stage of the H-IIA 202 rocket used in the launch of the Akatsuki spacecraft towards Venus. A second dispenser contained K-Sat and the Negai ☆ satellite. The three CubeSats separated into low Earth orbit during a coast phase of the launch, between the first and second burns of the second stage. The rocket then continued to Heliocentric orbit, where it deployed Akatsuki, along with the IKAROS and UNITEC-1 spacecraft.[5]
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
- ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Waseda-SAT2". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
- ^ "WASEDA-SAT2". Waseda Satellite Project (in Japanese). Waseda University. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
- ^ a b "Countdown Report". H-IIA Launch Services Flight 17. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
- ^ "Overview of Secondary Payloads". Akatsuki Special Site. JAXA. Retrieved 17 May 2010.