Status Of The Kirari OICETS Test

TECH SPACE

Illustration of the OICETS experiment.

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Nov 28, 2005
At 12:13p.m. on November 24, JAXA found that one of the four reaction wheels was disconnected from the onboard attitude control system of the Kirari, Optical Inter-orbit Communications Engineering Test Satellite (OICETS) when JAXA's Okinawa Tracking and Communication Station received telemetry from the satellite.

The Kirari was launched by a Dnepr Launch Vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the Republic of Kazakhstan on August 24, 2005 (JST), and is now under initial function verification.

The Kirari is currently flying normally as it is designed with a redundant system that enables the satellite to control its attitude if one of the four reaction wheels is disconnected.

The optical inter-orbit communications experiment with the Advanced Relay and Technology Mission "ARTEMIS" of the European Space Agency (ESA) is scheduled in early December.

TECH SPACE

OICETS Undergoing Flight Configuration

Tsukuba, Japan (SPX) Apr 18, 2005
The OICETS (Optical Inter-orbit Communications Engineering Test) satellite, scheduled to be launched this coming summer, is being modified to match a change of inclination (from 35 to 98 degrees), due to a change of its launch vehicle.

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