Kaguya: Japan's lunar orbiter - Page 4

01101001 · #91 (**permalink**) 16-December-2007, 06:39 PM

Quote:

JAXA verified the Spectral Profiler (SP) onboard the lunar explorer "KAGUYA" (SELENE) orbiting approximately 100 km above the lunar surface, through initial observations on November 3, 2007, and subsequent data analysis. The obtained data is the world's first continuous reflectance spectra of the far side of the Moon in the visible and near infrared region.

Press Release: Observations using the Spectral Profiler (SP)

01101001 · #92 (**permalink**) 29-December-2007, 04:50 AM

Planetary Society Weblog: Kaguya has begun science operations

Quote:

[...] Kaguya has completed its shakedown and entered the science operational phase of the mission. It's now returning regular data from eleven science instruments, two mini-satellites, and its high-definition camera. There were a couple of problems reported with two instruments, the X-ray spectrometer and the charged-particle spectrometer, but both instruments are being operated at least part of the time with part of their capability as the Kaguya mission team attempts to work through the problems.

Provides several links to new videos.

01101001 · #93 (**permalink**) 12-January-2008, 09:35 PM

Press Release: KAGUYA (SELENE) Observations with Laser Altimeter (LALT) and Lunar Radar Sounder (LRS) Sounder Mode

Quote:

Through analysis of the LALT data taken from November 26 (Japan Standard Time, all the following dates and times are JST), 2007, we confirmed that the lunar topography can be deduced as planned. The LALT is expected to obtain a global and precise topographic data set of the Moon, including the polar regions with a latitude higher than 75 degrees that have never been explored by previous satellites. This data set, in combination with the high-spatial-resolution stereoscopic observation data to be taken with the Terrain Camera (TC), will compose the first complete, precise, and high-spatial-resolution topographic map of the Moon.

The LRS sounder mode was tested on November 20 and 21, 2007, over the eastern Mare Imbrium, and the performance of this mode was verified. The data obtained in this experiment visualized largely horizontal subsurface stratification, which probably consists of alternating beds of lava, volcanic ashe and ejecta blankets. The existence of such a strata has been expected for decades based chiefly on surface geology. By means of global scanning, the LRS will provide us with a massive amount of information on the subsurface geology of the Moon down to a few kilometers from the surface. Faults and folds, identified from the discontinuity or disturbance of subsurface stratification, are important clues to understand not only regional tectonics but also the evolution of the Moon, including global thermal history.

01101001 · #94 (**permalink**) 12-March-2008, 07:22 AM

Planetary Society Weblog: LPSC: Kaguya sessions

Quote:

I have to say I was a bit disappointed by the Kaguya session. Nearly every image that was shown has been available on their website for months, and most of the talks spent most of the time summarizing the capability of the instruments, not in displaying any new science results or data products. Having said all that, I think that just summarizing the mission was important.

I went to three of the presentations. The talks were very well attended -- a few hundred people were in the audience. The first presentation was an overview given by Manabu Kato, who mentioned as part of his talk that the data from the mission will be archived and released to the public one year after the end of the nominal mission, which was supposed to last one Earth year. They began nominal science operations on December 21 last year, so for Christmas 2009 we should be getting 10 Terabytes of lunar data under the tree.
[...]
As [Jun'ichi Haruyama, Terrain Camera person] spoke, his PowerPoint slide of the Terrain Camera view of Shackleton slowly wiped from a normally stretched view to an extremely enhanced view, where sunlit areas were saturated and permanent-shadow areas were faintly visible. Just at the moment that the entire floor of Shackleton crater was revealed to the room's view -- to a chorus of "oohs" and "aahs" from the audience -- the image flickered back to the normally stretched view, and there was a groan of disappointment.

01101001 · #95 (**permalink**) 12-April-2008, 01:26 AM

Planetary Society Weblog: Beautiful new Earthrise and Earthset movies from Kaguya

Quote:

JAXA and NHK have just released a new pair of videos from the high-definition television camera aboard Kaguya, of an Earthrise and Earthset with a near-full Earth. I grabbed individual frames from the movies to make the animations below, but you can visit the JAXA website to see smooth Flash versions of both movies.

Available from JAXA via Kaguya Image Gallery (Flash, ugh)

01101001 · #96 (**permalink**) 16-April-2008, 12:20 AM

Planetary Society Weblog: At last: Some bits of Kaguya video online in reasonable detail

Quote:

I have frequently bemoaned the stingy data release policy of JAXA and the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK), who have chosen not to show off the full capability of the high-definition camera aboard the Kaguya lunar orbiter; they've been releasing only very low-resolution video to the Internet, and make the full-resolution video available only via DVD to educators who sign a restrictive release form. (I can send you that form if you send me an email.) At last, though, the restrictions appear to be loosening just a tiny bit; they have now released some video to the Web that, if it's not actually at HD resolution, it's at least at the resolution of standard-definition TV sets. [...]

01101001 · #97 (**permalink**) 18-July-2008, 07:47 PM

BA Blog: What, no monolith?

Quote:

Launched in September, 2007, the Japanese lunar probe SELENE (nicknamed Kaguya) has been snapping away, taking tremendous amounts of data of our only natural satellite. The images and animations have been spectacular, of course, and a new one is on their site that is totally cool: a 3D tour of the crater Tycho (warning: BIG file download).

Full of awesome.

Still image: Lunar Picture of the Day, July 18

01101001 · #98 (**permalink**) 19-November-2008, 01:51 AM

Planetary Society Weblog: Kaguya now in its extended mission

Quote:

For its primary mission, Kaguya circled the Moon in a polar orbit at 100 kilometers altitude (much as Chandrayaan-1 is now doing). Kaguya will continue doing this until March of next year, when it will shift to a low-altitude orbit, and I mean low. At first, it will reduce its altitude by half, circling at 50 kilometers altitude. At this much lower level, Kaguya will be sensitive to much finer-scale variations in the gravity field of the Moon than it was during the primary phase of its mission. Then, in May, it will shift to a more elliptical orbit, back up to 100 kilometers at apolune but diving to an incredible 20 kilometers at perilune, which will be over the south pole and the very interesting Aitken Basin.

And it crashes to an end between June and August.

01101001 · #99 (**permalink**) 19-November-2008, 05:36 AM

Lunar Picture of the Day 2008 September 5

Lunar Picture of the Day 2008 September 27

Lunar Picture of the Day 2008 September 29

Lunar Picture of the Day 2008 October 11

Lunar Picture of the Day 2008 November 19

PraedSt · #**100** (**permalink**) 05-December-2008, 07:06 PM

I just found the Universe Today article about SELENE not finding water on Shackleton (via Fraser).

It's totally ruined my day.

PraedSt · #**101** (**permalink**) 05-December-2008, 07:17 PM

Wait, there's no discussion thread on BAUT, so I'd better post an extract.

Kaguya can't find water on the Moon.

Quote:

It's been a long-held belief that the Moon is hiding significant quantities of water ice, safe from the Sun's ablative effects inside shady craters. One such crater is called Shackleton at the lunar South Pole and previous Moon missions have indicated it might hold a large reservoir of ice for all the water needs of future Moon colonists. Alas, the Japanese lunar mission Kaguya (or the Selenological and Engineering Explorer - "SELENE") has taken a peek into the crater to find… nothing. At least, it hasn't spotted any significant quantities of surface ice.
[...]
As there is no atmosphere (apart from some very tenuous outgassed chemicals), sunlight cannot be scattered into the bottom of the crater to illuminate its surface. However, scientists have taken images during lunar mid-summer when enough light is scattered off the crater's upper inner wall to faintly brighten the darkness below.

Although it is very cold inside the crater (-183°C or -297°F), certainly ideal conditions to preserve ice, there is no visual evidence of any surface ice at all.

KaiYeves · #**102** (**permalink**) 05-December-2008, 08:34 PM

But if you think that mean I want to visit the moon any less, you're wrong.

PraedSt · #**103** (**permalink**) 05-December-2008, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaiYeves

But if you think that mean I want to visit the moon any less, you're wrong.

That's the spirit.

We'll just have to be more ingenious and devious, that's all.

KaiYeves · #**104** (**permalink**) 05-December-2008, 09:13 PM

Shackleton Crater is definitely somewhere I want to visit, right up there with the Hadley Rille.

timb · #**105** (**permalink**) 14-December-2008, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 01101001

Planetary Society Weblog: At last: Some bits of Kaguya video online in reasonable detail

They are posting some videos on their youtube site that they claim are high definition.

01101001 · #**106** (**permalink**) 16-December-2008, 06:34 PM

Planetary Society Weblog: AGU: An update on Kaguya

Quote:

On Monday afternoon at the American Geophysical Union meeting there was a short session, comprising four talks, on the status of Kaguya, Japan's enormous lunar orbiter. The first presentation was an overview of the mission; the next three presentations focused on individual instruments.

JonClarke · #**107** (**permalink**) 16-December-2008, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 01101001

Planetary Society Weblog: AGU: An update on Kaguya

The improvement in gravity and topographic data is most impressive.

Jon

01101001 · #**108** (**permalink**) 09-February-2009, 10:05 PM

Planetary Society Blog: Catching up on some news: [...] Okina impact

Quote:

Okina is supposedly going to be crashing into the Moon within two weeks. Okina (also known as RSAT, RStar, or the Relay satellite) is one of two mini-sats deployed by Kaguya as part of its unique lunar gravity experiment. Okina is in a lower orbit than the other (Ouna); the lumpy nature of the lunar gravity field results in fairly fast decay of low orbits. Without any thrust capability to reboost its orbit, Okina's orbit is about to decay into one that intersects the lunar surface, with rather unfortunate results for the spacecraft. (This was planned and expected by the Kaguya mission.)

01101001 · #**109** (**permalink**) 21-May-2009, 10:27 PM

Planetary Society Blog: Kaguya Set to Strike the Moon

Quote:

According to the latest information from the Japanese Space Agency JAXA, the lunar orbiter Kaguya will slam into the Moon at 6:30pm (GMT) on Wednesday, June 10, 2009. Dr. Shin-Ichi Sobue, who is a member of the mission's flight team, tells us that Kaguya will likely impact deep in the Moon's southern hemisphere, near the Gill crater. This information, however, could change by the time the spacecraft strikes the lunar surface.

Sayonara, Princess.

KaiYeves · #**110** (**permalink**) 21-May-2009, 11:09 PM

That poor moon is getting hit a lot lately. Perhaps we should give it time to heal.

slang · #**111** (**permalink**) 22-May-2009, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 01101001

Planetary Society Blog: Kaguya Set to Strike the Moon

Sayonara, Princess.

In the picture there's a reference to the SELENE Project homepage. I was very disappointed when they renamed SELENE to Kaguya, I thought SELENE was a perfect homage. Looks like JAXA carried the name, just not in press releases?

01101001 · #**112** (**permalink**) 10-June-2009, 02:30 AM

JAXA: Kaguya (SELENE): Lunar Impact:

Quote:

The "KAGUYA" will conclude its scientific mission to the Moon through a controlled impact on the lunar surface.

Expected impact date
18:30, June 10, 2009 (GMT) Near side, night time area

[...]

Impact information may be updated because of the latest orbit determination and/or satellite status. The newly information will be posted on SELENE project homepage.

As for the new schedule announcement is planned at June 10, at 1 a.m. (GMT).

SELENE project homepage

Thanks for the memories.

Impact around
June 10, 1130 PDT, Wednesday
June 10, 1430 EDT, Wednesday
June 10, 1830 UTC, Wednesday

About 17 hours to impact

ravens_cry · #**113** (**permalink**) 10-June-2009, 03:15 AM

SELENE has given us joy, awe and wonder as it orbited our fellow companion of this lonely orbit. It's camera allowed us to see what once only astronauts had seen and brought forth into knowledge new secrets of the universe. Even in its ending Kaguya will carry this purpose of exploration and discovery.
In closing, I would just like to say thank you to the men and woman who worked on this project. Your efforts have given much to the world that is good.
Good bye Kaguya.

KaiYeves · #**114** (**permalink**) 10-June-2009, 11:29 PM

Gorgeous sign-off picture.

01101001 · #**115** (**permalink**) 11-June-2009, 01:41 AM

AHN: Lunar Orbiter Sends Up More Data With Crash Into Moon

Quote:

Tokyo, Japan (AHN) - Lunar orbiter Kaguya ended its successful research mission around the Moon Wednesday afternoon by crashing into the moon's surface. Scientists hope the intentional collision will unveil even more secrets about earth's nearest natural satellite.

Kaguya hit the near-side surface about 2:25 p.m. EDT according to European astronomers who mapped the impact site.

In Pace Requiescat

Nowhere Man · #**116** (**permalink**) 11-June-2009, 03:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by All Headline News

It provided new data on the makeup of the moon's dark side, which is never visible from Earth.

Well, I suppose that's technically true: When the dark side is facing us, we can't see it, 'cos it's dark!

Fred

01101001 · #**117** (**permalink**) 11-June-2009, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nowhere Man

Well, I suppose that's technically true: When the dark side is facing us, we can't see it, 'cos it's dark!

Can we please stop having these tired misinterpretations of the word "dark"? Among several handy meanings, "dark" not only means "unlighted", but also "hidden". Their usage is dictionary perfect.

01101001 · #**118** (**permalink**) 11-June-2009, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 01101001

Can we please stop having these tired misinterpretations of the word "dark"?

Sorry. I just get tired of its repetition.

Anyway...

Kaguya starring in Lunar Picture of the Day, not just a flash in the pan.

Google Moon for context. Gill crater is marked, the largest crater in the upper left quadrant. Approximate impact point is centered, near the ridge of the central crater, approximate 2 o'clock position.

Nowhere Man · #**119** (**permalink**) 11-June-2009, 11:40 PM

The far more common meaning of the word "dark" is "unlit." Only esoteric thinkers like you and me can hold more than one meaning at a time in our brains.

Fred

01101001 · #**120** (**permalink**) 04-November-2009, 12:51 AM

Planetary Society Blog: Data from Kaguya's prime mission to the Moon has been released

Quote:

The data can be accessed through form-based or map-based interfaces, neither of which I found to be entirely intuitive. So rather than trying to figure it out myself, I posted on unmannedspaceflight.com about the data release and sat back to wait for those guys to crack it open. The first thing of interest to most of them was Kaguya's new topographic map of the Moon derived from its Laser Altimeter experiment, which was promised to be vastly superior to anything we have had in the past.

It appears that Kaguya has delivered on that promise. The guys at unmannedspaceflight are saying that the new topographic map delivers much more realistic-looking 3D-rendered views of the Moon than they have been able to produce previously. First, here's a qualitative look at the map. This version was produced from the archived data by Doug Ellison. It's centered on the lunar farside, which is where on the Moon you can find the most exciting action, topographically speaking.

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