Hakucho

Hakucho (はくちょうJapanese for Swan) was the first Japanese satellite for X-ray astronomy. The original name of the project to the start was CORSA -B (Cosmic Radiation Satellite B).

The also developed at the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science predecessor CORSA -A did not reach orbit due to a malfunction of the launch vehicle on February 4, 1976.

Hakucho was launched on 21 February 1979, a Mu -3C rocket from the Kagoshima Space Center. On 16 April 1985, the mission went with the re-entry into Earth's atmosphere at an end. Hakucho had three scientific instruments for the energy range 0.1-100 keV on board. Hakucho yielded new insights particularly to variable X-ray sources in the sky like pulsars, and sources with outbreaks reinforced X-rays.

More Japanese X-ray astronomy satellites

International Designator Mu (rocket family) Orbital inclination Uchinoura Space Center Suzaku (satellite) ASTRO-H
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