Japan’s government-owned orbiting robotic spy platforms are officially known as “Information Gathering Satellites” and come in radar and optical imaging variants. The spacecraft awaiting liftoff on the next H-2A flight — designated IGS Optical 7 — is the 18th Information Gathering Satellite launched by Japan’s government since 2003, including two satellites lost in an H-2A launch failure.
Satellite Information |
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| Name | Compass-IGSO7 |
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| Organization | BeiDou |
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| Country | China |
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| Continent | China |
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| Type | Satellite |
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| Launch Date | February 09, 2020 |
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| Launch Site | Tanegashima, Japan |
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| Launch Vehicle | H-2A |
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| Orbit | Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO) |
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| Orbital Inclination | 95 ° E |
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| PRN | C16 |
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| Status | Operational |
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