SELENE

Kaguya
Mission typeLunar orbiter
OperatorJAXA
COSPAR ID2007-039A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.32054
Mission duration1 year and 9 months (launch date to decay date)
Spacecraft properties
ManufacturerNEC Toshiba Space Systems
Launch massTotal: 3,020 kilograms (6,660 lb)
* Main orbiter (Kaguya): 2,914 kilograms (6,424 lb)
* Relay Satellite (Okina): 53 kilograms (117 lb)
* VLBI Satellite (Ouna): 53 kilograms (117 lb)[1][2]
Power3,486 watts
Start of mission
Launch dateSeptember 14, 2007, 01:31:01 (2007-09-14UTC01:31:01Z) UTC
RocketH-IIA 2022 F13
Launch siteTanegashima Yoshinobu 1
ContractorMitsubishi
End of mission
DisposalDeorbited (Moon impact)
Decay dateJune 10, 2009, 18:25 (2009-06-10UTC18:26Z) UTC
Orbital parameters
Reference systemSelenocentric
Periselene altitude281 kilometres (175 mi)[3]
Aposelene altitude231,910 kilometres (144,100 mi)[3]
Inclination29.9 degrees[3]
Period7109.28 seconds[3]
EpochSeptember 29, 2007[3]
Lunar orbiter
Orbital insertionOctober 3, 2007
Impact site65°30′S 80°24′E / 65.50°S 80.4°E / -65.50; 80.4[4]
Instruments
  • X-ray Spectrometer (XRS)
  • Gamma-ray spectrometer (GRS)
  • Multi-band Imager (MI)
  • Spectral Profiler (SP)
  • Terrain Camera (TC)
  • Lunar Radar Sounder (LRS)
  • Laser Altimeter (LALT)
  • Lunar Magnetometer (LMAG)
  • Charged Particle Spectrometer (CPS)
  • Plasma energy Angle and Composition Experiment (PACE)
  • Radio Science (RS)
  • Upper-atmosphere and Plasma Imager (UPI)
  • Relay Satellite aboard Okina (RSAT)
  • VLBI Radio source aboard Okina and Ouna (VRAD)
  • High Definition Television cameras (HDTV)

SELENE (/ˈsɛlɪn/; Selenological and Engineering Explorer), better known in Japan by its nickname Kaguya (かぐや), was the second Japanese lunar orbiter spacecraft following the Hiten probe.[5] Produced by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) and the National Space Development Agency (NASDA), the spacecraft was launched on September 14, 2007. After orbiting the Moon for a year and eight months, the main orbiter was instructed to impact on the lunar surface near the crater Gill on June 10, 2009.[6]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference jaxa20070613 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "SELENE/Kaguya" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
  3. ^ a b c d e McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
  4. ^ "Result of controlled drop of lunar orbiter "KAGUYA (SELENE)"". JAXA. Archived from the original on 2024-06-09. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
  5. ^ "Kaguya – Another Chapter for the Lunar Saga". Red Orbit. 2007-09-14. Archived from the original on 2011-05-22. Retrieved 2007-09-14.
  6. ^ "KAGUYA Lunar Impact". JAXA. Retrieved 2009-06-24.

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