Editing JAXA (section)

=== Infrared astronomy ===
[[File:Astro-E clean-room.jpg|thumb|right|ASTRO-E]]
Japan's infrared astronomy began with the 15-cm [[Infrared Telescope in Space|IRTS]] telescope which was part of the [[Space Flyer Unit|SFU]] multipurpose satellite in 1995. ISAS also gave ground support for the [[ESA]] [[Infrared Space Observatory]] (ISO) infrared mission.

JAXA's first infrared astronomy satellite was the [[Akari (satellite)|Akari]] spacecraft, with the pre-launch designation [[ASTRO-F]]. This satellite was launched on 21 February 2006. Its mission is [[infrared]] astronomy with a 68&nbsp;cm telescope. This is the first all sky survey since the first infrared mission [[IRAS]] in 1983.
(A 3.6&nbsp;kg [[nanosatellite]] named [[CUTE-1.7]] was also released from the same launch vehicle.)<ref>[https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2006-005A Akari], NSSDCA</ref>

JAXA is also doing further R&D for increasing the performance of its mechanical coolers for its future infrared mission, [[SPICA spacecraft|SPICA]]. This would enable a warm launch without liquid helium. SPICA has the same size as the ESA [[Herschel Space Observatory]] mission, but is planned to have a temperature of just 4.5 K and will be much colder. Unlike Akari, which had a [[geocentric orbit]], SPICA will be located at Sun–Earth {{L2|nolink=no}}. The launch is expected in 2027 or 2028 on JAXA's new [[H3 Launch Vehicle]], however the mission is not yet fully funded. ESA and [[NASA]] may also each contribute an instrument.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jaxa.jp/article/interview/no19/p4_e.html|title=JAXA – Takao Nakagawa – Dramatic Birth and Death of Stars -|access-date=12 June 2015|archive-date=1 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070901095849/http://www.jaxa.jp/article/interview/no19/p4_e.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The SPICA mission was cancelled in 2020.