* Astronomy

Japan's multibillion-dollar intelligence-gathering satellite program, ostensibly for peaceful, non-military purposes, is expected to make significant headway with the successful launch of the nation's fourth such satellite, scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
A successful launch of the new satellite would complete Japan's planned four-satellite system. Nevertheless, the nation will continue to rely heavily on the United States for satellite intelligence.

Read more

Japan has launched its fourth spy satellite, which will give it the capability to monitor any location around the globe.
An H-2A rocket carrying the satellite lifted off from a base in southern Japan at 0441 GMT, officials said.

Read more

Japan has launched its fourth spy satellite on Saturday, completing its capabilities to monitor activities worldwide and bolstering its ability to observe neighbouring countries.
The satellite, along with a smaller test prototype, was launched from the country's space centre on a remote southern Japan island atop an H-2A rocket.
The launch of the radar satellite enhances a multibillion dollar, decade-old plan for Japan to have round-the-clock surveillance of neighbouring countries.
Japanese space agency spokesman Satoki Kurokawa described the liftoff - which had been postponed three times due to poor weather - as a success. Television footage showed the rocket racing up through cloudy skies.
The prototype has higher-resolution optics that can be used in the future to improve the quality of the satellites' photographs from orbit.
The government's original plan was to put a total of eight intelligence-gathering satellites into orbit through 2006. However, it suffered a major setback in November 2003, when a rocket carrying the second set of spy satellites malfunctioned and was destroyed in mid-flight.
Officials say they are back on course now.

H-IIA rocket 12 2 data gathering satellites by the machine (Radar 2 and optics 3 experimental satellite) about launch day 2007 February 20th
JAXA postponed the space aeronautics research and development, data gathering satellites from the Tanegashima space centre which they had planned  to launch on 2007 February 16th (radar 2 and optics 3  experimental satellite)/H-IIA rocket 12 (H-IIA F12) the launch,  due to bad weather.
Today,  after inspection of weather conditions, the rocket fuselage and the terrestrial launch equipment, JAXA verified that  the H-IIA rocket  will be ready to launch on February 22nd.

Read more (Japanese)