Mitsubishi Heavy IndustriesH-IIA 202Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-1, Tanegashima Space Center, Japan
GCOM-C1 & SLATS
Launched
December 23, 2017
Image: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Summary
GCOM-C1 & SLATS launched on a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries H-IIA 202 from Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-1, Tanegashima Space Center, Japan on December 23, 2017. It was Mitsubishi Heavy Industries's 36th launch, 6th this year and humanity's 5,702nd orbital launch attempt. It was the 23rd H-IIA 202 flight and the 4th this year. The payload was bound for Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO). Shikisai, one of 5 catalogued objects, reached a 795 × 800 km orbit inclined 98.7°. 5 objects from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them payloads.
- Watch
- H2Aロケット37号機打ち上げ衛星しきさい・つばめ搭載akameeba
- 気候変動観測衛星「しきさい」（GCOM-C）＆超低高度衛星技術試験機「つばめ」（SLATS）打ち上げライブ中継JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構
- H-IIAロケット37号機 打上げNVS
- Vehicle
- H-IIA 202 · Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Earth Science · Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO)
- Milestone
- 23rd H-IIA 202 flight · 4th this yearMitsubishi Heavy Industries's 36th launch6th this yearhumanity's 5,702nd orbital launch attempt87th orbital launch attempt this year
Webcast
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Shikisai · NORAD 43065 · 2017-082 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 5 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2017-082A
- Epoch
- 2017-12-23 03:02:23 UTC
- Mean motion
- 14.30328795 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0003239
- Inclination
- 98.6992°
- Ascending node
- 65.723°
- Arg. of perigee
- 196.7675°
- Mean anomaly
- 265.5093°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 0
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: SSO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
5 catalogued: 2 payloads, 1 rocket stage, 2 components; 2 still in orbit
- Shikisai · NORAD 43065 · in orbit
- Tsubame · NORAD 43066 · re-entered October 1, 2019
H-2A F37 Stage 2 · re-entered June 5, 2025
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
GCOM-C1 is another satellite in JAXA's Earth observation Global Change Observation Mission (GCOM) constellation. This spacecraft is the first satellite in GCOM-C series and is intended to operate in sun-synchronous orbit for 5 years. It aims to collect surface and atmospheric measurements in order to monitor global climate change. Along with it is launched an engineering test satellite SLATS (Super Low Altitude Test Satellite), which is an attempt to develop techniques to operate a satellite in extremely low orbits. SLATS will try achieve that by maintaining position in orbit via ion engines. It will also collect data on atmosphere density and measure atomic oxygen in such low altitudes.
Pad
Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-1, Tanegashima Space Center, Japan
44th launch from Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-1, 6th this year · 74th from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan
57 launches from this pad · 99 from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan
74 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Tanegashima Space Center, JapanOpen in maps
Questions
When did GCOM-C1 & SLATS launch?
GCOM-C1 & SLATS launched on December 23, 2017. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch GCOM-C1 & SLATS?
Coverage: H2Aロケット37号機打ち上げ衛星しきさい・つばめ搭載; 気候変動観測衛星「しきさい」（GCOM-C）＆超低高度衛星技術試験機「つばめ」（SLATS）打ち上げライブ中継; H-IIAロケット37号機 打上げ. Watch the replay
What rocket launched GCOM-C1 & SLATS?
H-IIA 202, flown by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. H-IIA 202 spec sheet
Where did GCOM-C1 & SLATS launch from?
Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-1, Tanegashima Space Center, Japan.
What orbit did GCOM-C1 & SLATS reach?
Shikisai, one of 5 catalogued objects, reached a 795 × 800 km orbit inclined 98.7°.
How many satellites did GCOM-C1 & SLATS launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 1 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).