Information Gathering Satellite
As Information Gathering Satellite ( IGS, Japanese情报 收集 卫星, Joho Shushu Eisei ) are referred to a Japanese spy satellite program satellite. For this series include both optical and radar reconnaissance satellites.
History
The program was started in response to the North Korean missile test of the Taepodong missile with trajectory towards Japan in 1998. Its main task is the early warning of missile launches in the vicinity of Japan. However, it should be noted that EO is a relatively new area for Japan. The first Japanese mission MOS - 1 in this region took place only in 1987. For this reason, Japan still lacks some technology details in the field with a resolution of one meter or less. The program is under the control of the Naikaku Joho Chōsashitsu the Cabinet Secretariat and to both military and also provide remote sensing data for natural disasters. The civilian use is important because a Japanese Act of 1969 military space activities regulated.
Japan invested about 250 billion yen before the first start for the development of satellite and another 50 billion yen for the ground station. Each individual satellite costs about 50 billion yen. Operating costs amount to about 40 billion yen per year.
To start the satellite from the launch site of Yoshinobu Tanegashima Space Center with a rocket of the type H- II -A. The first pair of satellites, IGS IGS -1A and -1B, was launched on 28 March 2003. These were each about a 850 kg heavy in the optical region working with one meter resolution (1A) and a 1,200 kg with synthetic aperture radar (1B ) working with three-meter resolution satellite with a planned lifetime of five years. The Mitsubishi Electric ( MELCO ) built satellite worked until March 2007., The program suffered a major setback when Japan lost the second pair of satellites due to a false start of the H -2A in November 2003. One of the two burned- solid boosters had not separated from the rocket. By the additional weight of the H- II-A missile could not reach orbit. 11 minutes after the start it was blown up for safety by remote control in 422 km height. The launch of IGS -3A was then individually in September 2007. Another pair, IGS IGS 4A and 4B (and sometimes 3B designated as 3A has only started one ), was carried out by an H- 2A rocket from Tanegashima Space Center in February 2007.