The launch of the Advanced Land Observing Satellite "Daichi" (ALOS)

By courtesy of JAXA

Contents

Cover Page

The launch of the Advanced Land Observing Satellite "Daichi" (ALOS)
The Advanced Land Observing Satellite "Daichi" was launched by the H-IIA launch vehicle No. 8 (H-IIA F8) at 10:33 AM on January 24, 2006.

New Year's Greetings from the Editorial Board

Greeting from New JFSC Chairman
Dr. Yasuo Hirata
KDDI R&D Laboratories

Executive Comment
"Communication Technology in Space Application"
Dr. Keiji TACHIKAWA, President, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

"I have long believed that JAXA should leave conventional satellite communication entirely to the private sectors and should actively challenge highly advanced technology development. Communication technology is indispensable in any space mission, and thus we need higher data transmission rate, higher efficiency and higher functional performance." President Tachikawa of JAXA gives a executive comment for space application technology.

Special Report
"Trends of research and development of optical space communications technology"
Morio Toyoshima, NICT

In Japan, the Optical Inter-orbit Communications Engineering Test Satellite (OICETS) developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was launched in August 2005, and a laser communication link with the SILEX terminal was successfully established. By contrast, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) canceled the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter project, which would have used a laser communication link between Mars and Earth in 2010. The research and development of optical space communications are being continued all over the world, and part of the technology is used for stratosphere optical communications. Recent trends of such research and development are reported.

Capital Products & Review
Low cost, High performance/Bench-top LSI tester "MST2000"
Jepico Corp. Kunitachi R&DCenter

Satellite Communications and I
NEC TOSHIBA Space Systems Ltd.
Space System Division Space System 1 Group
Kazuyo Mizushima

"I had participated in the launch of the satellite in the JAXA Uchinoura space observation point last spring. The launch of the rocket went well, and the satellite obtained the orbit altitude safely. The satellite was named "SUZAKUh in several hours after the launch. Usually, satellite can not get a name if the satellite does not reach the orbit. like ASTRO-E that had burned out before reaching the orbit. "SUZAKUh has developed as a satellite of the re-challenge of ASTRO-E. For the launch of "SUZAKU" , I attended and prayed for its success."
Mz. Mizushima talked her experience of launch failure and successful launch of satellites.

From Editor
(T.U.)

Editorial Bureau/ AIAA JFSC, Editorial Committee
NICT, Space Communications Division
4-2-1, Nukui-Kitamachi, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8795, Japan

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