Yesterday the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched a H-2A rocket carrying the satellite Kizuna from the southern island of Tanegashima, about 620 miles south of Tokyo. Kinzuna is an experimental satellite which is hoped to enable data transmission of up to 1.2 gigabits per second at a low cost across Japan and in 19 different locations in South-East Asia. Kinzuna is expected to undergo 100 tests whilst in orbit including H.D TV tests. Jaxa has not yet sent a manned rocket to the moon but hopes to do so by 2025.

H-2A rocket carrying satellite Kizuna

 

Earlier this week the U.S fired a missile to disable a toxic out of control Spy-Satellite (USA 193) which was plumeting towards earth. The main concern was that If the tank were to have landed intact, it could have leaked toxic gas over a wide area - harming or killing humans if inhaled, officials had warned.

With such a high profile mission concerning plummeting satellites and missiles it was more than likely to attract criticism and concern from Russia & China. China called on the U.S to provide more information about the mission whilst Russia accused the U.S of using the mission as an opportunity to test out it’s new arsenal of anti-satellite technology under the U.S missile defence programme.

The military said it would use an SM-3 missile fired from the cruiser USS Lake Erie, which is posted on the western side of Hawaii along with the destroyers USS Decatur and USS Russell.

Following the mission the U.S confirmed the destruction of USA 193, however, no confirmation was given as to whether the fuel tank had been destroyed. The US defence secretary has since said that the shooting down of a disabled spy satellite with a missile shows the country’s missile defence system works.

The USS Lake Erie launches a missile at a US National Reconnaissance Office satellite in orbit 130 miles (210km) over the Pacific

How it happened:

1 SM-3 missile launched from a US Navy cruiser in Pacific Ocean.
2 The three-stage missile headed for collision location, where the relative “closing” speed was expected to be 10km/s (22,000mph).
3 Satellite came in range at altitude of 247km (133 nautical miles), close to edge of Earth’s atmosphere.
4 Missile made contact with satellite with objective of breaking fuel tank, freeing hydrazine into space.
5 Much of the debris will burn up but an as yet unknown amount is expected to be scattered over hundreds of kilometres.