Speech Abstracts by Hiroshi Yamakawa, President of JAXA
Date and time: From 1:30 - 2:15 p.m. on September 13
(Fri), 2024
Venue: JAXA Tokyo Office Presentation Room (B1 floor)
MC: Kaori Sasaki, Director, Public
Affairs Department
1. Recent Efforts, Results, etc.
● Operational Status of EarthCARE/CPR
The Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE) satellite, also known as Hakuryu, and its onboard Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) launched in May this year, are currently undergoing initial functional verification operations.
In operations to date, observation images have been obtained from the CPR co-developed by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) and JAXA, as well as from three other observation sensors developed by the European Space Agency (ESA), some having been made available to the public. This has confirmed that all four sensors onboard the satellite are functioning properly. The results of the initial functional verification and performance evaluation are scheduled for review on September 20.
Together with NICT, NEC Corporation, and other related companies and organizations, we will continue steady operations toward the next phase, the initial Calibration and Validation (Cal/Val) operations, where we will confirm, calibrate, and evaluate the accuracy, quality, and processing algorithms of the obtained data.
● Operational Status of DAICHI-4
DAICHI-4 has also been undergoing initial functional verification operations since its launch in July. We are sequentially verifying the functionality of onboard equipment, having completed the verifications for image acquisition using the Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar-3 (PALSAR-3), as well as for the standalone performances of both SPAISE3, an instrument demonstrating the reception of Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals transmitted from vessels, and the Optical Leo Laser Communication Terminal (OLLCT), laser utilizing communication equipment. Going forward, we plan to conduct two-way optical communication between the OLLCT and the Optical Data Relay Satellite to evaluate the terminal’s performance.
Looking ahead to transitioning DAICHI-4 to the initial Cal/Val operation phase, we will continue to work steadily with Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, NEC Corporation, and other related companies and organizations.
● On-Orbit Performance Demonstration of Mt.FUJI, Small Reflector for Satellite Laser Ranging
The next topic introduces the on-orbit demonstration results of equipment installed on a micro-satellite.
Canon Electronics Inc.’s micro-satellite CE-SAT-IE, launched aboard the H3 Launch Vehicle (Test Flight No.2) this February, is equipped with Mt.FUJI, a small reflector for Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR), developed by JAXA.
In August, JAXA conducted SLR on the micro-satellite CE-SAT-IE from its Tsukuba SLR Station located at the Tsukuba Space Center, a ground station that transmits laser pulses to satellites to measure the distances, and successfully received the return (reflected light) from the Mt.FUJI reflector attached to the satellite. This achievement demonstrated that Mt.FUJI can perform its required function as an on-orbit SLR reflector.
With the increasing number of satellites and space debris, Space Situational Awareness (SSA) is becoming ever more crucial. Mt.FUJI was developed as a small, lightweight, and versatile reflector, specifically designed to improve the visibility of spacecraft in low orbits.
Satellites and the upper stages of launch vehicles become space debris after completing their missions, posing a collision threat to operational satellites. Since these objects do not emit active signals, accurate tracking of their orbits has been difficult. By equipping each piece of space debris with a Mt.FUJI reflector, visibility from the ground will improve, making it easier to track its orbit. In addition, this SLR allows for the high-precision measurement of the distance between a ground station and a satellite with millimeter-level accuracy, contributing to precise orbit determination for satellites.
We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to Canon Electronics Inc. for mounting Mt.FUJI on its CE-SAT-IE. Based on the successful results of this on-orbit demonstration, JAXA will work toward the mass production and widespread adoption of Mt.FUJI by collaborating with industry partners, including through technology transfer, to promote its versatile use.
● Conclusion of Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM)
Next, let me share some updates on space exploration and space science.
As announced in the press release on August 26, the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) concluded its operations on the lunar surface following the shutdown procedures conducted on August 23. After its launch in September last year, SLIM successfully achieved the world's first pinpoint landing on the lunar surface in January and performed spectral observations using the Multi-Band Camera (MBC) on the surface. Additionally, although unplanned for the mission, the lander survived three lunar nights and continued operations, which we believe represents a significant achievement in the field of lunar exploration. We plan to summarize the activities and accomplishments of the SLIM project from around this autumn onward. Furthermore, research on the results of the observations obtained using the MBC is being conducted by university researchers and others, and these findings are expected to be published in academic papers.
The success of the SLIM project is thanks to the efforts of many, including Mitsubishi Electric Corporation and all those involved in its development and operations. We would like to express our deepest gratitude once again to everyone who supported the project.
● Asteroid Bennu Sample Arrives at JAXA
Additionally, on August 22, the sample collected from asteroid Bennu by NASA’s asteroid sample return mission, OSIRIS-REx, was successfully handed over to JAXA, in accordance with an agreement between JAXA and NASA. Under this Agreement, JAXA delivered a portion of the asteroid Ryugu sample, collected by its Hayabusa2, to NASA in November 2021, and in return, NASA has now provided JAXA with the Bennu sample. We expect that the analysis and scientific research conducted on the precious samples from Ryugu and Bennu will yield valuable insights.
● XRISM and BepiColombo/MIO
In terms of achievements in the field of space science, we are continuing scientific observations and data analysis from the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) launched alongside SLIM. A briefing is also being scheduled shortly to provide updates on current operations and scientific observations, as well as the latest research findings.
Regarding the Mercury Exploration Mission, BepiColombo, ESA announced on September 2 that a malfunction had occurred in the power system of the electric propulsion system module managed by ESA, which prevented the ion engine from operating at full power. After reviewing the issue, it was decided that future operations will proceed at a reduced output compared to the original plan. As a result, the planned arrival at Mercury has been postponed by about one year, to November 2026. It has been confirmed that the operations of JAXA’s Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO/MIO) and ESA’s Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO), as well as the planned scientific observations, will not be affected by this adjustment. We will thoroughly prepare for the upcoming arrival at Mercury and the subsequent scientific observations.