Launched Japan's first Information Gathering Satellites, the optical IGS 1A and radar IGS 1B, into sun-synchronous orbit for reconnaissance, a program initiated after North Korea's 1998 Taepodong-1 overflight.
- Outcome
- Success
- Orbit
- SSO
- Sun-synchronous orbit
- Payload to orbit
- 3.5 T (est.)
- Flight
- 3rd
- of 7 H-IIA 2024 flights
- Date and time
- 28 March 2003, 01:27 UTC
- Rocket
- H-IIA 2024
- Builder
- MHI
- Launch site
- Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-1, Tanegashima Space Center, Japan
- Payload
- Government/Top Secret
- International designator
- 2003-009
- Launches in 2003
- 9th of 63
See it in orbit
Space Atlas shows the satellites and rocket stages from this launch in 3D.
View satellites in Space Atlas