Extension of the Critical Phase of the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite “Daichi”

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) confirmed that the Daichi is in a stable condition after its attitude control was successfully shifted from thruster-controlled mode to wheel mode at 10:07 p.m. on January 27, 2006 (Japan Standard Time, JST).

However, at 10:51 p.m. on the 27th (JST) an anomaly detection function was activated for the data processing system and the Daichi consequently put itself into safety mode. We are currently investigating the status and cause, but other conditions such as the attitude of the Daichi are stable.

To investigate the cause of the activation of the anomaly detection, we decided to continue the critical phase of the Daichi and take all possible measures to return to normal operations.

We will restore the data processing system first, then will complete the critical phase in order to move to the initial functional verification phase after we confirm that the satellite?fs operations can be stably performed.

* The critical phase is the period until the satellite is ready for the initial functional verification. It includes launch operations, deployment of solar array paddle, communication antenna, and radar antenna after the separation from the launch vehicle, and completion of shifting to the regular mode of the attitude control system.

* This information is also available on the following website: http://h2a.jaxa.jp/index_e.html