Akebono (satellite)

Akebono

Names	EXOS-D
Mission type	Earth observation
Operator	ISAS · University of Tokyo
COSPAR ID	1989-016A
SATCAT no.	19822
Mission duration	Final: 26 years, 2 months, 1 day
Spacecraft properties
Launch mass	294 kg (648 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	21 February 1989, 23:30 (1989-02-21UTC23:30) UTC
Rocket	M-3SII, mission M-3SII-1
Launch site	Uchinoura Space Center, Japan
End of mission
Disposal	Decommissioned
Deactivated	23 April 2015
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Eccentricity	0.36552
Perigee altitude	300 km (190 mi)
Apogee altitude	8,000 km (5,000 mi)
Inclination	75°
Epoch	20 February 1989, 19:00 UTC
Instruments EFD Electric Field Detectors MGF Magnetic Field Detector VLF Very Low Frequency Wave Detectors PWS Stimulated Plasma Wave and High Frequency Plasma Wave Detectors LEP Low Energy Particle Detectors SMS Suprathermal Ion Mass Spectrometer TED Velocity Distribution of Thermal Electrons ATV Visible and UV Auroral Television

Akebono (known as EXOS-D before launch) is a satellite to study aurora and Earth's magnetosphere environment. It was developed by Institute of Space and Astronautical Science and launched by M-3SII rocket on February 21, 1989.

After 26 years of successful observation, operation was terminated on April 23, 2015, due to the degradation of solar cells and the decay of orbit.

See also

• International Solar-Terrestrial Physics Science Initiative

External links

• https://web.archive.org/web/20061023123528/http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/e/enterp/missions/akebono/