Ohzora

Launch data: Designation 14722 / 84015A Launch date 14 Feb 1984 - 17:00 Launch site Kagoshima Space Center Launch vehicle Mu-3S (#4) Mission Scientific:high atmosphere study Elliptical Earth orbit on: Perigee / Apogee  354 x 865 km Eccentricity   Inclination   deg Period  97 min

Spacecraft data: Prime contractor   Platform   Operator   Mass at launch  207 kg Dry Mass   kg Basic shape  Octagonal cylinder Dimension (m)  0.88m high, 1.09m long from face to face Equipment  Extending 20m long antenna from the body Solar array  Four solar-array paddles Stabilization   Propulsion   DC power

Decay:

Mission details:

• Since the satellite touched the 3rd-stage rocket motor five seconds after separation, it was contaminated by residual gas. Consequently, the satellite’s battery capacity fell by 20%. To cope with this drop, careful switch on/off operation of the observation instruments was made to prevent excessive battery discharge. After orbiting 26,799 times around the earth, the last signal from OHZORA was received at 14:11:53 on December 26, 1988 (JST), and then the communication link was lost. It is thought that the satellite perished at an altitude of 90km over New Guinea at 23:39 on that day.
• Scientific Instruments: Limb Atmospheric Infrared Spectrometer, Planet Plasma Sounder, etc
• Results: Of 11 observation instruments, five were used for research of atmospheric environment and six for research on the earth's electromagnetic environment. During its four years of operation, OHZORA provided us with valuable data obtained by observations of absorption spectrum of sunlight by minor constituents in the middle atmosphere, high-energy particles over the Polar Regions and South Atlantic Anomaly, etc