KuKai

Japan

Spacecraft n°:

Japanese satellite n°: 155

Also named STARS (Space tethered Autonomous Robotic Satellite)

Launch data:

Designation	33498 / 09002G
Launch date	23 Jan 2009 - 03:54 UT
Launch site	Tanegashima, YLP-1
Launch vehicle	H-2A-202
Mission	Civil: Technology development
LEO Earth orbit on Jan 24.16:
Perigee / Apogee	647 x 667 km
Eccentricity	1,14E-03
Inclination	98.03 deg
Period	97.87 min

Spacecraft data:

Prime contractor	Kagawa University
Platform
Operator	Kagawa University
Mass at launch	7 kg
Dry Mass	kg
Basic shape	box
Dimension (m)
Solar array	2 vanes of solar panels
Stabilization
DC power
Design lifetime

24 Dec 2008: assemble of PRISM, KKS-1, KAGAYAKI & STARS - Credit: JAXA

Mission details:

STARS, also named Kukai is a 7 kg Kagawa University picosatellite demonstrating a tethered space robot.
KuKai (STARS) is a tethered satellite experiment, developed by Kagawa University. Each satellite (one called Ku, the other Kai) is box-shaped with two vanes of solar panels. The man experiment is to take photographs of the deployment of the “daughter” satellite from the “mother” satellite.

Ref.: #7(JR605), #84a, #225(09.01), #226, #235 - update: 08.09.10