Haruka

Launch data: Designation: 24720 / 97005A Launch date 12 Feb 1997 - 04:50 UT Launch site: Kagoshima Space Center Launch vehicle: Mu-5 (1e launch) Mission: Scientific: Astronomy Earth orbit: Perigee/Apogee 565 / 21462 km Inclination 31.3° Period 374 min

Spacecraft data:

Mission ddetails:

• The Japanese Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) has launched the MUSES B satellite early on Feb 12, 1997. (1350 JST or 1358 JST according to different reports). It has been renamed 'Haruka', which means 'far-away'.
• Haruka is the space segment of the VSOP (VLBI Space Observatory Programme), and will unfurl an 8-meter radiotelescope antenna to make joint observations with ground based radio observatories, simulating a telescope larger than the Earth. Haruka carries detectors operating at 1.6, 5 and 22 GHz, and will be able to make radio images with very high spatial resolution, permitting precise measurements of quasar jets and galactic maser sources. MUSES B is the second Mu Space Engineering Satellite; the first was the MUSES A (Hiten) probe which pioneered use of advanced orbital dynamics and aerobraking.
• This was the first launch of the Japanese ISAS agency's three stage solid fuel M-V (Mu-5) rocket. M-V-1 was launched from the Kagoshima Space Center. The M-14 first stage separated 25s after launch, followed by the M-24 second stage at T+3min:33s. The M-34 third stage continued the ascent, separating at 5min 39sec after spinning up the payload section. The KM-V1 solid kick motor ignited to raise apogee, and separated 8 minutes after launch to leave Haruka in a 233 x 21527 km x 31.2 deg orbit. On-board RCS burns will raise the perigee over the next week. The KM-V1 motor (1997-05B) is in a 230 x 21452 km x 31.3 deg orbit. All four of the stages involved in this launch had never flown before, so this was a crucial test for the ISAS launch vehicle group.

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