Japan planning cancellation of lunar mission
Posted: Wed, Jan 17, 2007, 7:39 AM ET (1239 GMT)
The Japanese space agency JAXA is recommending that one of its two planned unmanned lunar missions, Lunar-A, be cancelled because of extended delays in its development. The mission, whose development dates back to a predecessor space agency, ISAS, in the 1990s, features a orbiter that would fire two penetrator probes into the lunar surface. Development of the penetrators has proven far more difficult than envisioned, however, leading to numerous schedule delays. Moreover, the orbiter, built ten years ago, now requires refurbishment that JAXA believes would be too expensive. A final decision on canceling Lunar-A will be made by the end of the month. A second JAXA lunar mission, the orbiter Selene, is not affected by the Lunar-A cancellation. It is scheduled for launch in mid-2007.
The Japanese space agency JAXA is recommending that one of its two planned unmanned lunar missions, Lunar-A, be cancelled because of extended delays in its development. The mission, whose development dates back to a predecessor space agency, ISAS, in the 1990s, features a orbiter that would fire two penetrator probes into the lunar surface. Development of the penetrators has proven far more difficult than envisioned, however, leading to numerous schedule delays. Moreover, the orbiter, built ten years ago, now requires refurbishment that JAXA believes would be too expensive. A final decision on canceling Lunar-A will be made by the end of the month. A second JAXA lunar mission, the orbiter Selene, is not affected by the Lunar-A cancellation. It is scheduled for launch in mid-2007.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Monday, April 28
United Launch Alliance back to try 1st launch of year with Amazon satellites
Orlando Sentinel — 6:31 am ET (1031 GMT) SpaceX pushes back Falcon 9 rocket launch from Vandenberg SFB
KSBY-TV San Luis Obispo, CA — 6:29 am ET (1029 GMT) Firefly, SpaceX Delay Launches at Vandenberg, Now Aiming for Monday
Noozhawk — 6:29 am ET (1029 GMT) Satellite Internet Era Arrives: SpaceX and OneWeb Set for South Korea Launch
Korea Bizwire — 6:29 am ET (1029 GMT) SpaceX launches batch of Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit
UPI — 6:28 am ET (1028 GMT) |
