28937 - MTSAT-2

MTSAT 2 is a Japanese (JAXA) geostationary weather satellite that was launched by an H2-A rocket from Tanegashima Space Center at 06:55 UT on 2006 February 18. The 1,250-kg (dry mass), 2.7-kW, 2.4 m x 2.6 m x 2.6 m box-shaped satellite carries an imaging telescope, backed by detectors for five wavelength channels: (1) Visible band at 0.55-0.80 microns, detected by silicon photovoltaic detectors at a spatial resolution of 1.25 km; (2) 10.3-11.3 micron infrared channel (IR1) with a HgCdTe photoconductive detector; (3) 11.5-12.5 micron channel (IR2) with a HgCdTe detector; (4) 6.5-7.0 micron water vapor channel (IR3) with a HgCdTe detector; and, (5) 3.5-4.0 micron near-infrared channel with an InSb photovoltaic detector. All infrared channels provide a spatial resolution of 5.0 km. The imagery will provide weather data/warnings, after parking over 145 degrees E longitude. The satellite will also relay ground weather data from many stations to the Meteorological Satellite Center (MSC) in Japan.

Facts in Brief

Launch Date: 2006-02-18
Launch Vehicle: H-2A
Launch Site: Tanegashima, Japan
Mass: 1250.0 kg
Nominal Power: 2700.0 W