TOP > Our Enterprises > Missions > Aurora Observation KYOKKO (EXOS-A)
|
Mission Profile
| Name (pre-launch in parentheses) | KYOKKO (EXOS-A) | |
|---|---|---|
| International Designation Code | 1978-014A | |
| Objectives |
|
|
| Launch | Date | 16:00, February 4, 1978 (JST) |
| Location | Kagoshima Space Center (Uchinoura) | |
| Launch Vehicle | ||
| Configuration | Weight | 126 kg |
| Shape | Cylinder, 95cm in diameter and 80cm high [Click image for enlargement] |
|
| Orbit | Altitude | Perigee 630 km, Apogee 3,970 km |
| Inclination | 65° | |
| Type of Orbit | Elliptical | |
| Period | 134 min | |
| Scientific Instruments | Aurora Imager (ATV) Plasma wave and electron temperature measurement instrument Energy spectrum analyzer for low-energy electrons |
|
| End of Operation | August 2, 1992 | |
| Operation | All the observational instruments onboard KYOKKO were operable and the observation started on February 24. Since it would be inefficient for Kagoshima Space Center (currently Uchinoura Space Center) alone to retrieve data in relation to its locations relative to the satellite orbit, other data-receiving telemetry stations were founded at the Showa Station in Antarctic and the Churchill Research Base in Canada. | |
| Results | We obtained aurora image data in the ultraviolet region (1300A) by the Aurora Imager (ATV), a world first. The observation discovered that a disturbance of plasma occurs in the sky when the aurora emerges, emitting strong electromagnetic waves. | |
Energy spectrum of aurora electrons measured by KYOKKO over the high-latitude area above Lat. 60° N. Horizontal axis is electron energy, vertical axis is count number every 125 mm sec, and inclined axis is universal time.
Ultraviolet image of aurora by KYOKKO