38339 - SDS-4

SDS-4 (Small Demonstration Satellite 4) was launched from Tanegashima on 2012 May 17 at 16:39 UT by an H-2A rocket. SDS-4, a Japanese cubesat, weighed 50 kg. It carries several technology demonstration experiments which will be used to verify new technologies for components and devices in space. One of the experiments includes an experiment to monitor AIS (Automatic Information System) messages transmitted from ships at sea. SDS-4 will operate from a 677-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit.
The initial orbital parameters were period = 98.10 minutes, apogee = 672.6 km, perigee = 662.8 km, inclination = 98.2 deg on 2012 Jun 24 at 21:53:04 UTC.

Facts in Brief

Launch Date: 2012-05-17
Launch Vehicle: H-2A
Launch Site: Tanegashima, Japan
Mass: 50.0 kg