* Astronomy

T minus 1 hour

The launch operation is on schedule.

T minus 2 hours


Credit JAXA

T minus 4 hours 2 minutes

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has announced that the launch time of the Solar Physics Satellite (SOLAR-B) aboard the M-V Launch Vehicle No. 7 (M-V-7) has been determined as follows based on the collision avoidance analysis with the manned space system(s)*. (The date and time are Japan Standard Time, JST.)

Scheduled Launch Day: September 23 (Sat), 2006 Launch Time: 6:36 a.m.**

* A collision avoidance analysis is an analysis carried out prior to a rocket launch to avoid a collision with manned space systems, such as the International Space Station, which are in orbit. In principal, a launch vehicle and any of its separated objects should not collide with manned space systems from the launch until its completion of the first round around the earth.

** The launch time has been determined based on the best time to inject the satellite into its orbit as the whole original launch time range (6:00 to 7:00 a.m.) was found to be free from any possibility of collision with manned space systems after the collision avoidance analysis.