Launch Postponement of JAXA KAGUYA (SELENE) Lunar Mission (Forwarded)

Public Affairs Department
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Marunouchi Kitaguchi Building
1-6-5, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8260
Japan
TEL: +81-3-6266-6400

July 20, 2007 (JST)

Joint Release:
Mitsubishi Heavy Idustries, Ltd.
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

Launch Postponement of the KAGUYA (SELENE)

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and the Japan Aerospace Exploration
Agency would like to announce that we have decided to postpone the
launch of the Lunar Orbit Explorer "KAGUYA" (SELENE) by the H-IIA
Launch Vehicle No. 13 (H-IIA F13.)

The launch was originally scheduled for August 16, 2007 (Japan Standard
Time, JST.)

The new launch date will be announced as soon as it is determined.

Reason for the delay:
When a ground test was prepared for another satellite (Wideband
Internetworking Engineering Test and Demonstration Satellite, WINDS,)
the polarity of its onboard condenser was found to be installed
reversely. JAXA checked the KAGUYA (SELENE) for the same problem, and
found the reverse polarity of the condenser in the two onboard baby
satellites (one condenser on each satellite.) The two condensers will
be replaced.

Mission website:

* Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) H-IIA Launch Services
http://www.h2a.jp/index.html
* H-IIA Launch Vehicle
http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/rockets/h2a/index_e.html
* SELenological and ENgineering Explorer "KAGUYA" (SELENE)
http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/selene/index_e.html
* Launch of KAGUYA/H-IIAF13 Special Site
http://www.jaxa.jp/countdown/f13/index_e.html