H-IIA Status: Payload Launch Site Operations are Underway at SFA

On Nov. 21, in the Spacecraft and Fairing Assembly Building (SFA), three
microsatellites, Australian FedSat, Whale Ecology Observation Satellite
(WEOS) of Chiba Institute of Technology, and µ-LabSat of NASDA, were mated
with the piggyback launch payload support structure. FedSat and WEOS have
been under preparation and mating operations in the previous days. µ-LabSat
is a “hand-made” microsatellite developed and manufactured by NASDA.

Payload fairing

Also in SFA, a payload fairing that protects the payloads from vibration of
liftoff and friction in the atmosphere is also under preparation. Since its
arrival at the Tanegashima Space Center on Nov. 8, the fairing went through
visual inspection and pyrotechnic circuit checking.