The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) says a satellite will launch on December 20th from the Uchinoura Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture to study high energy electrons, according to a report in The Japan Times.
Artistic illustration of JAXA's ERG on orbit.
The satellite, named the Exploration of Energization and Radiation in Geospace (ERG), will study the region of outer space near Earth, including the upper atmosphere, ionosphere and magnetosphere. This region is called “geospace.” JAXA said the satellite will gather information meant to clarify how highly charged electrons in the Van Allen radiation belt are created, as they are generated and vanish repeatedly along with space storms.
The satellite will be carried aloft by a 2gen Epsilon rocket. The 26-meter-tall Epsilon Launch Vehicle is a revamped version of the first such vehicle launched in September 2013, with enhanced launch capability and artificial intelligence that performs checks and monitors operations.
The rocket is to be launched between 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. on December 20th.
Article source: The Japan Times