IGS-4B (O-4V)

Launch data:

Descriptions:

• A radar spy satellite impervious to darkness and a second-generation craft with optical cameras were successfully launched into space Saturday to begin top secret reconnaissance missions for the Japanese government. The radar craft is the second such satellite to be orbited in Japan's spy satellite program. Two other satellites with optical instruments were launched in 2003 and last year. The third optical spacecraft launched Saturday reportedly features upgraded imaging capabilities, according to Japanese media agencies.
• The Optical-3 Verification satellite is an experimental satellite on a six-month engineering mission to test out improvements to the earlier Japanese optical spy satellites, which performed less well than hoped.
• The true Optical-3 satellite will fly in 2009, followed by launch of Radar-3 and Optical-4 in around 2011. After an initial checkout phase by JAXA, the satellites are operated by the Cabinet Satellite Intelligence Center (CSICE, Naikaku Eisei Joho Center) of Tokyo via its main Kitaura Fuku Center ground station in Ibaraki prefecture.

Mission details:

• Liftoff of the two-stage H-2A rocket was at 0441 GMT (11:41 p.m. EST Friday) on Feb 24, 2007 from the Yoshinobu launch complex at the Tanegashima space center .