Launch Scheduled for Spectroscopic Planet Observatory, SPRINT-A

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will launch the Spectroscopic Planet Observatory for Recognition of Interaction of Atmosphere (SPRINT-A) by the first Epsilon Launch Vehicle (Epsilon-1) in the following schedule.

Launch date: August 22 (Thursday), 2013 (Japan Standard Time)
Launch time: between 1:30 p.m. through 2:30 p.m. (JST)*
Launch window: Aug. 23 (Friday) through Sept. 30 (Monday), 2013
Launch site: Uchinoura Space Center

* The scheduled launch time range is for the launch on Aug. 22, 2013. The time range will be rescheduled every day within the above range if the launch day is shifted.

JAXA held the Epsilon-1 message campaign for posting messages on our new launch vehicle between April 10 and May 7, 2013. We have received 5,812 messages (of which 5,360 are in Japanese, and 452 are in other languages.) Thank you very much for your participation. The design of the Epsilon-1, where your messages will be incorporated, was decided, and we would like to show you here in the following attachment.

Public Affairs Department
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
+81 3-5289-3650
jaxapr@jaxa.jp

More about the SPRINT-A mission:
http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/sprint_a/index_e.html