Muses A

Launch data: Designation  20448 / 90007A Launch date  24 Jan 1990 - 11:46 UT Launch site  Kagoshima Launch vehicle  M-3S-2 (#5) Mission  Lunar Orbiter Operator   Heliocentric orbit Perihelion / Aphelion  2289.67 x 49013.93 Incl. to ecliptic   38.90° Period  4.53 days

Mission details:

• The Japanese ISAS space agency launched the MUSES-A space probe on Jan 24, 1990. The probe is a technology test which will fly past the Moon and attempt to insert a sub-satellite in lunar orbit.
• MUSES-A was renamed Hiten after launch.
• On Mar 18 1990 it made a 16000 km lunar flyby and separated the Hagoromo subsatellite which entered lunar orbit.
• On Jan 25, 1990: Period 6.665 days, inclination 30.63 deg, 262.49 x 286182.72 km.
• Further lunar flybys occurred on 1990 Jul 10, Aug 4, Sep 7, Oct 2, 1991 Jan 3, Jan 27, Mar 3, Apr 26 and Oct 2, atdistances between 12000 and 76000 km.
• On 1991 Mar 19 Hiten carried out the first aerobraking experiment in Earth's atmosphere, with a perigee of 125.5 km. A second aerobraking pass was made on Mar 30 at 120.2 km, to make a planned change in Hiten's orbit.
• On Feb 15, 1992 after a final 2000 km flyby of the Moon Hiten fired its engine to enter a 9600 km x 49400 km x 35 deg lunar orbit; after two years of experiments in the Earth-Moon system.
• On 1992 Feb 17: Period 4.53 days, inclination 38.90 deg, perilune 2289.67 km, apolune 49013.93 km.
• On 1993 Apr 10 at 1803.38 its orbit, by this time perturbed to a lower periapsis, intersected the lunar surface at 55.5 deg E, 34.0 deg S.
• Hiten, the first Japanese lunar probe, impacted the Moon's surface near the crater Furnelius (38°S, 5°E) on Apr 11, 1993 (06:30 UT)
• Hiten and Hagoromo were the first new probes in lunar orbit since Luna-24 in 1976.