Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Launch Delay

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*** JAXA MAIL SERVICE ***
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
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Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Launch Delay


July 22, 2005
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) would like to advise about
the launch postponement of the Advanced Land Observing Satellite
(ALOS), whose launch was scheduled in the summer of 2005.

The reason for the delay is as follows:
JAXA found an anomaly in the Infrared Imaging Surveyor Satellite
(ASTRO-F) during ground tests. The ASTRO-F is also scheduled to be
launched within the 2005 Japanese fiscal year. In the course of the
investigation of the anomaly, JAXA found that a foreign object was
mixed in the satellite's transistor. While the transistor of the
ASTRO-F was being replaced, JAXA checked all its other satellites.
As a result, we found that the ALOS, which was scheduled to be
launched this summer, is also equipped with the same transistor that
was manufactured in the same timeframe as the one installed in the
ASTRO-F. Although the ALOS transistor is currently working properly,
it is a high possibility that it also contains a foreign object.
Therefore, JAXA decided to replace the ALOS transistor to make sure of
the success of the mission.
The ALOS launch scheduled for this summer was postponed in order to
secure the necessary time for the replacement.


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Date of Issue : July 22, 2005

Publisher : 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


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Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.info