Japan


2008 – Cosmic Discovery: A Look Ahead

Two competing influences shape the near-term prospects of space astronomy: the burgeoning worldwide development of astronomical technology and human talent, and the decrease in governmental support for basic science brought on by economic and fiscal pressures. Probably the most significant event … Thank you for visiting The Space Report! The Authoritative Guide to Global Space…

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2008 – Evolving National Space Policies

The activities of spacefaring nations increased in 2008, and the policies of those and other countries continue to evolve. These policy changes often reflect the need to fund or authorize activities in response to steps taken by other national space programs, particularly when matters of national de… Thank you for visiting The Space Report! The…

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2008 – Military Space Activity

The United States, Europe, and Japan all took steps in 2008 that will affect the direction and prominence of their military space activities in coming years. The increasing reliance of governments on space-based capabilities makes military space systems valuable national assets. Demonstrations of an… Thank you for visiting The Space Report! The Authoritative Guide to…

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2008 – Civil Space Activity

The trend of globalization in space activity continues, with nations entering into agreements to use each other’s infrastructure and space assets. Two decades ago only the United States, the Soviet Union, Europe, and China regularly launched and deployed satellites and other missions to space. Today… Thank you for visiting The Space Report! The Authoritative Guide…

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Space-based Discovery of More Mayan Ruins

Remote sensing satellite data is also assisting archaeologists. In early 2008, archaeologists who teamed with NASA scientists over the past five years announced the discovery of five sprawling ancient Mayan sites in Guatemala consisting of hundreds of buildings.

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2008 – QZSS

Japan’s Quasi-Zenith Satellite System will supplement GPS coverage over areas of Japan that prove difficult with GPS alone. The first launch is expected in 2010. 

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2008 – ISS

In addition to satellites and spacecraft, a third major facet of in-space activity involves in-space platforms. In-space platforms are facilities or modules constructed or placed in space with the intention of creating a permanent or semi-permanent location and resource base for staging further space activities. The International Space Station is the only operational in-space platform.

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2008 – Japan Launch, Payload

Japan, after conducting a high of ## orbital launches in 2006, performed ## orbital ## in 2008. Japan is developing an enhanced version of its H-II vehicle, the H-IIB, designed to carry the cargo-supply H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) as a payload to the ISS. The HTV is scheduled for launch in September 2009 and is to be the largest payload the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has ever deployed.

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2008 – Orbital Launch Reports and Forecasts

From the launch of the Sputnik satellite on October 4, 1957, through the end of 2008, approximately ## orbital launches have occurred.  These missions carried some ten thousand satellites, experiments, probes, landers, and other spacecraft on trajectories ranging from Earth orbit to missions beyond our solar system.

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