Japan's first lunar probe, originally designated MUSES-A and renamed Hiten after launch, lifted off from Kagoshima on ISAS's Mu-3S-II rocket. It tested trajectory techniques for future planetary missions and released the small Hagoromo orbiter toward the Moon, making Japan the third nation to reach lunar orbit.
- Outcome
- Success
- Orbit
- Elliptical
- Elliptical orbit
- Payload to orbit
- 722 kg
- Flight
- 5th
- of 8 Mu-3S-II flights
- Date and time
- 24 January 1990, 11:46 UTC
- Rocket
- Mu-3S-II
- Builder
- Nissan
- Launch site
- Mu Center, Uchinoura Space Center, Japan
- Payload
- Robotic Exploration
- International designator
- 1990-007
- Launches in 1990
- 7th of 121
See it in orbit
Space Atlas shows the satellites and rocket stages from this launch in 3D.
View satellites in Space Atlas