Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace (ERG)
Solar Array Paddles Deployment and Nickname Decided
December 20, 2016 (JST)
National Research and Development Agency
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) hereby announces that it confirmed reception of the signals from Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace (ERG).
ERG aboard the second Epsilon Launch Vehicle, launched from the Uchinoura Space Center at 8:00 p.m. on December 20, 2016 (JST).
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.
The satellite is currently in good health.
JAXA has nicknamed ERG "ARASE" for the following reasons:
- ERG starts a new journey to Van Allen radiation belts, located in the Earth's inner magnetosphere, where energetic charged particles are trapped. "ARASE", a Japanese word for a river raging with rough white water is a fitting description for the journey that lies ahead of ERG.
- After Arase River, which runs Kimotsuki, Kagoshima, where JAXA's Uchinoura Space Center is located. Arase River has a local folktale of bird's beautiful singing. Since ERG observes "chorus" *, it conveys the significance well.
| * | Chorus is a plasma wave generated in the magnetic equator of Earth's magnetosphere. Its frequency band ranges within several kHz. Audibly converted, Chorus sounds much like bird's singing. |
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Updates will be out in a month regarding completion of the critical operation phase of ARASE (ERG).