Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-1
Tanegashima Space Center, Japan
Mission Details
GOSAT-GW (Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite Greenhouse gases and Water cycle), formerly known as GOSAT 3, is JAXA's next generation satellite to monitor the greenhosue gases like carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere. It is the follow on to the GOSAT 2 (Ibuki 2) and GCOM-W (Shizuku) missions.
GOSAT-GW will have two missions: greenhouse gases observation for Japan's Ministry of the Environment and the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), and water-cycle observation for JAXA. By developing the GOSAT-GW satellite, Mitsubishi Electric will contribute to measures for preventing disasters attributed to global warming and climate change, and to advance scientific and technological methods that enable more accurate prediction of climate change.
In December 2013, Mitsubishi Electric (MELCO) was selected as the prime contractor for the spacecraft and the instruments.
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Epsilon S | RAISE-4 & others
Tue 30, Dec 2025 07:00:PM
Mu Center
Uchinoura Space Center, Japan
Mission Details
RAISE-4 (RApid Innovative payload demonstration Satellite-4) is a satellite for on-orbit demonstrations of 15 demonstration components and equipment selected by public solicitation. The satellite will be operated in response to requests from the demonstration theme proposers, and will provide experimental data of the demonstration devices and environmental data during the experiments.
10 of the demonstrations are re-flight of those planned for RAISE-3, which failed to reach orbit in October 2022.
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Epsilon S | DESTINY+
Tue 30, Dec 2025 07:00:PM
Mu Center
Uchinoura Space Center, Japan
Mission Details
DESTINY+ (Demonstration and Experiment of Space Technology for INterplanetary voYage with Phaethon fLyby and dUst Science) is a planned asteroid exploration mission to 3200 Phaethon, the parent body of the Geminids meteor shower. It will demonstrate further improvements of low cost solar electric propulsion in deep space and innovative light-weight solar array panel technology.
The spacecraft will carry 3 science instruments:
* DESTINY Dust Analyzer (DDA)
* Telescopic Camera for Phaethon (TCAP)
* Multiband Camera for Phaethon (MCAP)
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Epsilon S
Family
Epsilon
Length
24.4
Diameter
2.5
Launch Mass
91
Low Earth Orbit Capacity
The Epsilon S rocket is a Japanese solid-fuel rocket designed to launch scientific satellites. It is a follow-on project to the larger and more expensive M-V rocket which was retired in 2006. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) began developing the Epsilon in 2007. The first stage is based on SRB-3, the strap-on solid-rocket booster of H3
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency | JPN
Launchers
H-II
Spacecraft
Total Launches
36
Successful Launches
4
Upcoming Launches
4
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is Japan's national aero-space agency. Through the merger of three previously independent organizations, JAXA was formed on 1 October 2003. JAXA is responsible for research, technology development and the launch of satellites into orbit, and is involved in many more advanced missions, such as asteroid exploration and possible manned exploration of the Moon. JAXA launch their Epsilon vehicle from the Uchinoura Space Center and their H-II vehicles from the Tanegashima Space Center.
