Jump to content

JAXA (& other Japanese) Launch and Discussion Thread


tater

Recommended Posts

One of the secondary payloads on this launch was from a Japanese company, ALE Co. Ltd, who intend to provide artificial meteor showers on demand.
 

Quote

"I was too moved for words," Lena Okajima, president of the company behind the artificial meteor showers, told the Jiji Press agency.  "I feel like now the hard work is ahead."

The company ALE Co. Ltd plans to deliver its first out-of-this-world show over Hiroshima in the spring of 2020.  The satellite launched Friday carries 400 tiny balls whose chemical formula is a closely-guarded secret.  That should be enough for 20-30 events, as one shower will involve up to 20 stars, according to the company.  ALE's satellite, released 500 kilometres (310 miles) above the Earth, will gradually descend to 400 kilometres over the coming year as it orbits the Earth.

Worldwide meteor shower shows

The company plans to launch a second satellite on a private-sector rocket in mid-2019.  ALE says it is targeting "the whole world" with its products and plans to build a stockpile of shooting stars in space that can be delivered across the world.  When its two satellites are in orbit, they can be used separately or in tandem, and will be programmed to eject the balls at the right location, speed and direction to put on a show for viewers on the ground.  Tinkering with the ingredients in the balls should mean that it is possible to change the colours they glow, offering the possibility of a multi-coloured flotilla of shooting stars.  Each star is expected to shine for several seconds before being completely burned up—well before they fall low enough to pose any danger to anything on Earth.  They would glow brightly enough to be seen even over the light-polluted metropolis of Tokyo, ALE says.  If all goes well, and the skies are clear, the 2020 event could be visible to millions of people, it says.  Okajima has said her company chose Hiroshima for its first display because of its good weather, landscape and cultural assets.  ALE is working in collaboration with scientists and engineers at Japanese universities as well as local government officials and corporate sponsors.

It has not disclosed the price for an artificial meteor shower.

https://phys.org/news/2019-01-japan-satellite-blasts-space-artificial.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-nwletter

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Xd the great said:

I can do it for free. On ksp. With kerbals.

I also originally thought it was a cool but silly idea however after reading further, it is probable ALE-1 will be deployed for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games.
gojYW1I.png

Image Credit: ALE Co Ltd

Edited by James Kerman
edited for grammar
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...
  • 4 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
3 hours ago, tater said:

Launch to ISS in about 2 hours:

Launched ! Doesn't show the confirmation (confirmation was seen/heard on NASA TV), but the JAXA stream showed the whole process from around T - 6 mins until after separation.

Edited by YNM
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, MinimumSky5 said:

there is only one more Kounotori launch scheduled. 

After that they'll utilize HTV-X on top of H-3 rocket.

 

Also, probably really late, but perhaps good for archive - JAXA-NASA joint press conference.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 3 months later...
  • 1 month later...
  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

JAXA-hosted livestream on YouTube for the (hopefully) last H-IIB launch / last H-II Transfer Vehicle (Kounotori 9) :

Spoiler

(old livestream link)

(new archival video link)

Livestream description contains advisory against spotting the launch directly (the livestream link has been up since like 3 weeks ago).

Launch time approx. May 21 02:30 JST (UTC+9), or May 20 17:30 UTC / 13:40 UTC-4 .

Edited by YNM
renewed link
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...