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M-V
Launched 1997-02-12 04:50 UTCMu Center, Uchinoura Space Center, Japan
Success
Reached Elliptical Orbit
Worldwide
6th
orbital launch attempt in 1997
Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
1st
launch this year
Mu Center
1st
launch from this pad this year
Pad turnaround
758 d 15 h
since the pad's previous launch
HALCA (Highly Advanced Laboratory for Communication and Astronomy), a.k.a. VSOP (Very Large Baseline Interferometry Space Observatory Programme) or Muses-B, is the first astronomical satellite dedicated to Very-Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI). It was launched on its maiden flight by ISAS's M-5 [KM-V1] launch vehicle from Kagoshima Space Center on 12 February 1997.
ISAS is a Japanese national research organization of astrophysics using rockets, astronomical satellites and interplanetary probes which played a major role in Japan's space development.
Launches
32
Successful
24
75%
Upcoming
0
scheduled
Height
30.8m
Diameter
2.5m
To low Earth orbit
1,800kg
Liftoff thrust
3,780kN
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