JAXA's Epsilon Rocket Set for Debut in Mid-August

摘要

Japan will debut its new Epsilon small rocket Aug. 22 with the launch of a planetary observation satellite from the Uchinoura Space Center on Japan's southeastern coast, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced May 21. JAXA also announced May 21 that it will launch an H-2B heavy-lift rocket carrying cargo to the international space station as early as Aug. 4 from Tanegashima Space Center. The solid-fueled Epsilon rocket will carry the Spectroscopic Planet Observatory for Recognition of Interaction of Atmosphere, or Sprint A, spacecraft to Earth orbit, JAXA said. From there the satellite will make observations of other planets in the solar system in ultraviolet spectral bands, according to JAXA's website.