The National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) confirmed that the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite II (ADEOS-II “Midori-II”), which was launched from Tanegashima Space Center on 14 December 2002 at 10:31 am (Japan Standard Time), deployed an antenna for inter-satellite communications on 17 December at 9:25 am (JST), started the attitude control by wheel control at around 11:08 am and maintaining its attitude stably.
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\nThis is a completion of an initial critical phase* and ADEOS-II (Midori-II) moves into a next operation phase. At the next phase, ADEOS-II will move into an observing orbit and perform a functional verification of onboard equipment.<\/p>\n
As to the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR) in which some abnormal signal was detected at its processing time, a command signal was sent to reset such abnormal signal on 15 December at around 4:45 pm, and the signal was confirmed to get back to normal.<\/p>\n
Continuously, the cases of the injection counts, which were observed more than the expected figures at the attitude control by 1N (Newton) thruster, and some data to monitor the tension of a solar array paddle didn’t meet standards will be investigated to find their causes. <\/p>\n
* This is a very important, but difficult operation phase at an early stage of a satellite launch, before a basic function of the satellite is ensured such as power, 3-axis attitude control. <\/p>\n