SELENE (Kaguya)

Launch data: Designation  32054 / 07039A Launch date  14 Sep 2007 - 01:31 UT Launch site  Tanegashima Launch vehicle  H-2A-2022 Mission   Moon probe Heliocentric orbit Perihelion / Aphelion   Incl. to ecliptic   ° Period   min

Spacecraft data: Prime contractor   Operator   Platform   Mass at launch   kg Dry Mass   kg Basic shape   Dimension   Solar array   Stabilization   DC power   Design lifetime

Mission details:

• The Japanese SELENE moon probe, Kaguya, was launched from Tanegashima spaceport on Sep 14. Planned orbit was 281 x 232805 km x 29.9 deg; later manoeuvres by the probe will raise the apogee to lunar distance.
• Kaguya moon probe was in a 2243 x 378132 km cislunar transfer orbit by Sep 30; on Oct 3 at 2100 UTC it entered a 101 x 11741 km x 95 deg lunar orbit.
• The probe is now lowering its orbit to 100 km circular; the Okina (R-Star) subsatellite was ejected into a 115 x 2399 km orbit at 0036 UTC on Oct 9, and the Ouna (VRAD) subsatellite was ejected at 0428 UTC on Oct 12 into a 127 x 795 km orbit.