First QZSS Satellite, Michibiki, Launched

News courtesy of CANSPACE Listserve.

Launch of the first Quasi-Zentih Satellite System (QZSS) satellite, dubbed Michibiki, took place Saturday, September 11, at 11:17:00 UTC from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. At 28 minutes and 27 seconds after liftoff, Michibiki was separated from the launch rocket, H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 18, according to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

JAXA performed the third apogee engine firing (AEF) for about 7 minutes from 12:21 p.m. on September 14
(Japan Standard Time, JST) by sending commands from the Okinawa station in Japan. Telemetry sent from the satellite confirms the third burn was a success. The satellite is in good health.

The launch plan is available here.

Initial NORAD transfer orbit elements:
1 37158U 10045A   10254.58030900  .00025279  00000-0  12437-1 0    29
2 37158 031.8130 195.1731 7247071 180.1473 075.8512 02.30802581    08

Here is a video of the launch:

Another video can be viewed here. Below is an image of the ground track of the new orbit after the third AEF. Another two AEFs followed by thruster firings are required before the final orbit is obtained. Altogether the process is expected to take about two weeks.