Japanese aerospace agency launches world’s smallest rocket carrying micro-satellite

Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has set a new record in its favour. The Japanese space agency has launched the smallest rocket of the world carrying a microsatellite.

The launch took place on Saturday from the KS Centre launch complex of Uchinora Space Centre in Kagoshima. The launch of the satellite was aired live from YouTube. The modified SS-520 sounding rocket carried a 13.6-inch TRICOM-1R CubeSat.

The micro-satellite was developed by the researchers at the University of Tokyo to capture the images of the surface of the Earth. The first failed satellite by JAXA was launched in January 2017, which fell into the sea due to a short-circuit caused by vibration during its take-off.

Launch Schedule, SS-520 No. 5 with a Microsatellite aboard https://t.co/B7tGMSfAb7 pic.twitter.com/okQSt4tVMq

— JAXA Web (@JAXA_en) February 1, 2018

The current launch of the rocket is aimed to test the ability of the Japanese aerospace agency on low-cost rockets that can put micro-satellites into orbit at affordable rates.

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The SS-520 is expected to reach an orbit of about 180 by 1,500 km with an inclination of 31 degrees. The TRICOM-1R carries a store-and-forward communications process along with five small cameras which will capture the images of the Earth’s surface and return with them.