Japan Launches Intelligence Satellite To Monitor Weather And Observe North Korean Military Bases

ILLUSTRATION UNSPLASH/Donald Giannatti

JAKARTA - Japan launched a rocket carrying an intelligence-gathering radar satellite for the government to improve disaster management and monitor developments at North Korean military bases.

H2A Rocket No. The 46, operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., took off from the Tanegashima Space Center at 10:50 a.m. local time in the southwestern prefecture, Kagoshima, after being delayed a day due to bad weather.

The satellite has entered its planned orbit, Mitsubishi Heavy said.

As reported by ANTARA from Kyodo-OANA, Thursday, January 26, radar satellites can capture images on the ground at night, and sometimes during severe weather conditions, according to the Cabinet Satellite Intelligence Center, which commissioned Mitsubishi Heavy to launch the satellite.

The radar could also be used to transmit data in the event of a natural disaster, he added.

Thursday's launch of the H2A rocket was the 40th consecutive successful delivery since the launch of the No.7 H2A rocket in 2005.

The development of the new radar satellite cost 51.2 billion yen (about IDR 5.9 trillion) and 11.4 billion yen (about IDR 1.3 trillion) to launch, according to the Cabinet's Satellite Intelligence Center.

The liquid-fueled H2A rocket is 53 meters long and four meters in diameter.

Mitsubishi Heavy is scheduled to launch its new H3 flagship rocket on February 13 for the first time.

The rocket was co-developed with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and is a successor to the H2A rocket.