JAXA successfully launched the second Epsilon Launch Vehicle with Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace (ERG) aboard at 8:00 p.m. on December 20, 2016 (JST) from the Uchinoura Space Center. The launch vehicle flew as planned, and at approximately 13 minutes and 27 seconds after liftoff, the separation of ERG was confirmed.

The signals were received in the Santiago Ground Station, the Republic of Chile at 8:37 p.m. (JST). ERG's solar array paddles have been deployed as planned. Also, ERG has completed the attitude control based on the sun acquisition.
JAXA has nicknamed ERG "ARASE".

The launch time of the second Epsilon Launch Vehicle with Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace (ERG) was set for 8:00:00 on December 20 (Tue.), 2016 (Japan Standard Time).
JAXA will broadcast a live launch report from the Uchinoura Space Center from 7:40 p.m. on the day. You can watch it through the Internet. Please have a look!

The cargo transporter to the International Space Station, KOUNOTORI6 (HTV6) was captured with the robotic arm of the International Space Station (ISS) at 7:39 p.m. on December 13 (Japan Standard Time) and berthed to the ISS at 3:24 a.m. on December 14 (JST). The KOUNOTORI6 was launched by the H-IIB Launch Vehicle No.6 on December 9.
Astronauts aboard the ISS will shortly unload the pressurized and unpressurized logistic carriers of HTV6 and will transfer the cargo into the ISS. The payload includes food, drinking water, the new Japanese-made lithium ion battery and 7 microsatellites.

The H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 6 with cargo transporter to the International Space Station, the KOUNOTORI6 (HTV6) aboard lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center at 22:26:47 on December 9. (Japan Standard Time)
The launch vehicle flew smoothly and 15 minutes and 11 seconds after liftoff, the separation of the HTV6 was confirmed. The HTV6 will gradually get closer to and will be berthed at the ISS. Don’t miss the live docking coverage on our website.

The launch time of the H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 6 with the KOUNOTORI6 (HTV6, a cargo transporter to the International Space Station) was set for 10:26:47 p.m. on December 9 (Fri.), 2016 (Japan Standard Time.)
JAXA will broadcast a live launch report from the Tanegashima Space Center from 9:35 p.m. on the 9th. You can watch it through the Internet. Please have a look!

JAXA announced that the second Epsilon Launch Vehicle with Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace (ERG) on board will be launched sometime between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. on December 20, 2016 (Japan Standard Time). Live launch coverage from the Uchinoura Space Center will be carried on YouTube. More detail will be available shortly.
JAXA is happy to hear from dear readers. Please send words of encouragement to the project members of the Epsilon and of the ERG mission.

The H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 31 with the Geostationary Meteorological Satellite "Himawari-9" onboard lifted off at 3:20 p.m. on November 2, 2016 (Japan Standard Time) from the Tanegashima Space Center.
The launch vehicle flew as planned, and at about 27 minutes and 51 seconds after liftoff, the separation of the "Himawari-9" was confirmed.

The Himawari-9/H-IIA F31 launch was postponed to 3:20:00 p.m. on November 2 due to adverse weather. The launch was originally scheduled for November 1.
Accordingly, the live broadcast of the launch will start at 2:40 p.m. on Nov. 2. Please don’t miss it!
Your support messages are very much welcome through Twitter (Hashtag #himawari9).

At 0:58 p.m. on October 30 (Sun., Japan Standard Time), Astronaut Onishi came back to the Earth safely on the Soyuz spacecraft (47S), which successfully landed in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Astronaut Takuya Onishi started his expedition mission at the International Space Station (ISS) from July 9, 2016, and engaged in various scientific experiments. He also manipulated the robotic arm for capturing the Cygnus cargo spacecraft as the first Japanese Astronaut.
Thank you very much for your support.

Astronaut Onishi is returning to the Earth at around 12:59 p.m. on October 30 (JST) after completing his long stay at the International Space Station for about four months.
JAXA is broadcasting his return trip live through the Internet. You can also watch the live report at some public viewing spots in Japan. Let's support and cheer on his homecoming.

The launch schedule of the H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 6 with the H-II Transfer Vehicle “KOUNOTORI6” (HTV6) on board, temporarily postponed has been updated to around 10:26 p.m. on December 9 (Fri.), (Japan Standard Time, JST).
JAXA appreciates messages to KOUNOTORI mission and the project team. Please write to following site.

JAXA and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) launched a three year “KiboCUBE” programme in September 2015, which offered developing countries the opportunity to deploy cube satellites from the Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” on the International Space Station (ISS).
This initiative aims to contribute to the technological advancement of space activities in developing countries by providing the opportunity to deploy micro-satellites using unique capabilities of Kibo. The applicants are the educational or research institutes in developing countries that are member states of the United Nations.

JAXA held a media briefing with UNOOSA in the 26th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2016) at Guadalajara, Mexico. During the briefing, there was an announcement of the second round along with introduction of the programme. Moreover, the representative of the University of Nairobi presented a summary of a satellite “1KUNS-PF”, which was the first to benefit from KiboCUBE.

Image: Media Briefing at IAC 2016 in Guadalajara, Mexico on 26 September 2016
Dr. Koichi WAKATA, ISS Program Manager in JAXA (left), Simonetta Di Pippo, Director of UNOOSA (center) and Professor Mwangi Mbuthia, Dean, Department of Engineering, the University of Nairobi (right)

All the data taken by the high definition television (HDTV) onboard the SELENE (KAGUYA) lunar orbiter have been released. The SELENE HDTV, developed in cooperation with JAXA and NHK, captured the full HD images all around the Moon. The raw data, extracted right from more than 600 HD images that the SELENE HDTV acquired over the period of 21 months, are now available as they are of high scientific value.
Image: The "earth-set" above the South Pole, where a number of countries are considering to build their base for lunar exploration. (C)NHK/JAXA

The launch schedule of the H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 31 (H-IIA F31) has been decided to be between 3:20 thru 6:18 p.m. on Nov. 1 (Tue), 2016 (Japan Standard time). The launch will be performed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and JAXA.
The H-IIA F31 will carry the geostationary meteorological satellite "Himarawi-9," which will be operated for observation by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and JAXA have selected a team from the University of Nairobi to be the first to benefit from the UNOOSA-JAXA KiboCUBE programme.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and JAXA decided to postpone the launch of the H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 6 with “KOUNOTORI6” (HTV6) onboard which was scheduled for October 1 (Sat.), 2016 (Japan Standard Time), as unfavorable.
The new launch date will be announced as soon as it is determined.
(Reason for the delay)
A slight leak was detected from piping of the HTV6 during an air tightness test. The test is part of HTV6 launch preparations at the launch site. We will disband the HTV6 module and take necessary measures.

The launch date and time for the H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 6 (H-IIB F6) with the H-II Transfer Vehicle "KOUNOTORI6" (HTV6) onboard was set for around 2:16 a.m. on October 1 (Sat.), 2016 (Japan Standard Time).
* Launch time will be determined by the updated orbit of the ISS.
We welcome your support messages to KOUNOTORI6 mission and its project team members!

The Soyuz Spacecraft with Astronaut Takuya Onishi onboard lifted off at 10:36 a.m. on July.7 (Thu., Japan Standard Time,) and docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on July.9 (Sat). After the hatch to the ISS opened at 3:53 p.m., His first long-term stay there has started.
He will live there for about four months as a flight engineer for the as the 48th and 49th expedition crew and perform science experiments and robotic operations.
Please keep following our updates and don't miss his activities in space. We are welcoming support messages from you!

The Soyuz spacecraft with Astronaut Takuya Onishi aboard was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome (Republic of Kazakhstan) at 10:36 a.m. on July 7 (Japan Standard time.) The Soyuz will dock with the International Space Station on July 9　(Sat.) JAXA will broadcast a live report of the Soyuz crew including Astronaut Onishi entering the ISS from 3:00 pm on July 9. Please watch it!

An international team observed the hot gas in the Perseus cluster with the Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) on board the X-ray Astronomy Satellite ASTRO-H ("Hitomi") during its initial operation phase, which started one week after liftoff. The total integration time was 230,000 s.
The energy resolution of the SXS data was high, equaling the best resolution estimated during ground testing. The observation data demonstrated the good in-orbit performance of the SXS and its ability to measure the velocity of hot gas with at least 20 times better resolution than previous instruments.
This observation resulted in the first determination of the velocity of hot gas in the center of a galaxy cluster.
These results are presented in a paper published on July 7, 2016, in the journal Nature.

The Soyuz spacecraft carrying Astronaut Takuya Onishi is scheduled for launch at 10:36 a.m. on July 7 (Japan Standard Time.) JAXA will broadcast his departure and entering to the ISS live via YouTube. Please witness them!
Please send him a support message via the following website or Google+.

Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities announced on June 6 (Moscow Time) that it will postpone the launch of the Soyuz Spacecraft (47S/MS-01), on which Astronaut Onishi will be aboard. The new target launch date is 10:36 a.m. on July 7, and the date will be finalized and announced after coordinating with partners of the ISS.
JAXA will broadcast their departure live on YouTube.
Please send him a support message via the following website or Google+.

Astronaut Onishi continues his training for the final test to be aboard the Soyuz spacecraft (47S) at the Gagarin Cosmonauts Training Center (GCTC) in Russia. The Soyuz spacecraft, which Astronaut Onishi will be aboard, is under preparation targeting the following launch date and time.

Target launch: at 3:41 p.m. on June 24, 2016 (Japan Standard Time)

We will update the information as the launch date and time will be officially finalized.
*The above date and time are targets, thus they are subject to change.

JAXA will broadcast their departure live on YouTube.
Please send him a support message via the following website or Google+ .

JAXA decided to shift the operation mode of the five onboard instruments of AKATSUKI to the regular operation mode, namely 1μm camera (IR1), 2μm camera (IR2), Longwave IR camera (LIR), Ultraviolet image (UVI), and Ultra-stable Oscillator (USO).
Lightening and airglow camera (LAC) continues to be in the preparation mode for its conditions to be carefully coordinated.

[Message from Project Manager Masato Nakamura]
Thanks to your support, we were able to move the four cameras and the Ultra-sable Oscillator to regular operations. Thank you very much. We continuously acquire data for the world’s leading Venus research while we are aiming at early regular operation of the LAC. Please look forward to the operation and data acquisition of the Venus climate orbiter “AKATSUKI.”

Image: Night side of Venus taken by the IR2.
The night side image shows the whole of Venus, and the image captured the most detailed Venus state. We will closely and precisely study the 3D structure and movement of the Venus atmosphere by combining data of different wavelengths from other cameras.

JAXA, Tohoku University, Hokkaido University, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) of the Republic of the Philippines, and the University of the Philippines Diliman, successfully deployed “DIWATA-1,” the first Philippines microsatellite, from ISS/Kibo at 8:45 p.m. on April 27 (JST).
We have successfully cooperated and contributed to each other for this epoch-making mission in the history of the Philippines' space development, and accordingly we achieved intimate cooperative relations between Japan and the Philippines.

A small Philippine's 50-kg class Microsatellite "DIWATA-1" is scheduled to be deployed by the Kibo's Small Satellite Orbital Deployer on April 27 (Wed., JST). This is the first attempt to deploy a 50-kg class satellite by the Japanese system.
JAXA will broadcast its release from “Kibo” Japanese Experiment Module on YouTube from around 8:20 p.m. on April 27 (JST.)

Astronaut Onishi will go to space as a crew member of ISS Expedition 48/49 from June 2016 for his first ISS long stay mission. His trip will further strengthen Japan’s reliability as a member of the ISS project.
Astronaut Onishi was a former pilot working for a private company, and it is very rare that a civilian pilot becomes an astronaut. He will increase Japan’s reliability in the ISS project through his activities, such as experiments on Kibo and operations at the ISS, during his long-term stay there. Your support will be very much appreciated.

JAXA confirmed the completion of a sequence of important operations of the X-ray Astronomy Satellite “Hitomi” (ASTRO-H), including turning the cooling system on, test operation of the Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS), and extending the Extensible Optical Bench (EOB). With this confirmation, the critical operation phase of Hitomi was completed.
The Hitomi will take about one and half months to verify the function of its onboard equipment and instruments in space, then we will conduct calibration observations for another one and half months.

We are inviting you to have your message travel on the ERG satellite to explore the Van Allen belts, which is the last frontier in space around the Earth.
Please send your support message to the mission of the “Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace” or “ERG”, which is scheduled to be launched in JFY2016. The messages will be printed on an aluminum plate that will be installed on the satellite as part of a balance weight.

* The call for application was closed. Thank you !

H-IIA F30 with the "ASTRO-H" onboard launched at 5:45 p.m. on Feb 17, 2016 (JST) from the Tanegashima Space Center. The rocket flew smoothly, and, at about 14 minutes after liftoff, "ASTRO-H" was separated from the H-IIA F30.
ASTRO-H is the eye to study the hot and energetic universe. Therefore we name ASTRO-H, "Hitomi". The word "Hitomi".generally means "eye", and specifically the pupil, or entrance window of the eye – the aperture!

The launch of the The X-ray Astronomy Satellite "ASTRO-H" by the H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 30 was rescheduled at 5:45 p.m. on Feb 17 (Wed. Japan Standard Time, JST) after carefully studying the weather conditions.

The live launch report will begin at 5:25 p.m. on Feb 17 (Wed. ,JST). The report will be broadcast through the Internet.
Please send your support messages for the mission!

H-IIA Launch Vehicle No.30 with the X-ray Astronomy Satellite "ASTRO-H" onboard, which was originally scheduled for February 12 (Fri.), 2016 (Japan Standard Time), has been rescheduled because bad weather is expected. The new launch day will be announced as soon as it is determined. Your warm support messages are welcomed at the support site.

The 22nd session of the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF-22) was successfully held from December 1 to 4, 2015 in Bali, Indonesia, jointly organized by the Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education of Indonesia（RISTEK-DIKTI）, the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space of Indonesia （LAPAN）, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
APRSAF, established in 1993, has been growing to become one of the largest international forums today in the Asia-Pacific region. It is annually organized by MEXT, JAXA and organizations of host countries. APRSAF-22 was organized under the main theme entitled “Sharing Solutions through Synergy in Space” with the aim of further promoting regional cooperation. The participants -- around 480 representatives and experts from 28 countries and regions and from 10 international organizations -- actively contributed to discussions on various topics under the main theme.