Editing JAXA (section)

== Astronomy program ==
{{See also|Scientific research on the ISS}}

The first Japanese astronomy mission was the X-ray satellite Hakucho (CORSA-b), which was launched in 1979. Later ISAS moved into solar observation, radio astronomy through space [[VLBI]] and infrared astronomy.

'''Active Missions:''' [[Hinode (satellite)|SOLAR-B]], [[MAXI (ISS Experiment)|MAXI]], [[SPRINT-A]], [[CALET]], [[X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission|XRISM]]<br />
''' Under Development:'''<br />
'''Retired:''' [[HALCA]], [[ASTRO-F]], [[ASTRO-EII]], and [[ASTRO-H]]<br />
'''Cancelled(C)/Failed(F):''' [[ASTRO-E]] (F), [[ASTRO-G]] (C),

=== 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.

=== X-ray astronomy ===
{{See also|ASTRO-H|XRISM}}

Starting from 1979 with [[Hakucho]] (CORSA-b), for nearly two decades Japan had achieved continuous observation. However, in the year 2000 the launch of ISAS's X-ray observation satellite, [[ASTRO-E]] failed (as it failed at launch it never received a proper name).

Then on 10 July 2005, JAXA was finally able to launch a new [[X-ray astronomy]] mission named [[Suzaku (satellite)|Suzaku]] (ASTRO-EII). This launch was important for JAXA, because in the five years since the launch failure of the original ASTRO-E satellite, Japan was without an [[x-ray telescope]]. Three instruments were included in this satellite: an [[X-ray spectrometer]] (XRS), an [[X-ray imaging spectrometer]] (XIS), and a [[hard X-ray detector]] (HXD). However, the XRS was rendered inoperable due to a malfunction which caused the satellite to lose its supply of liquid helium.

The next JAXA x-ray mission is the [[MAXI (ISS Experiment)|Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image (MAXI)]]. MAXI continuously monitors astronomical X-ray objects over a broad energy band (0.5 to 30 keV). MAXI is installed on the Japanese external module of the ISS.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://iss.sfo.jaxa.jp/kibo/kibomefc/maxi_e.html |title=MAXI:Experiment – International Space Station – JAXA |author=JAXA |access-date=12 June 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521055336/http://iss.sfo.jaxa.jp/kibo/kibomefc/maxi_e.html |archive-date=21 May 2013 }}</ref> On 17 February 2016, [[Hitomi (satellite)|Hitomi]] (ASTRO-H) was launched as the successor to Suzaku, which completed its mission a year before.

=== Solar observation ===
Japan's solar astronomy started in the early 1980s with the launch of the ''[[Hinotori (satellite)|Hinotori]]'' (ASTRO-A) X-ray mission. The [[Hinode (satellite)|Hinode]] (SOLAR-B) spacecraft, the follow-on to the joint Japan/US/UK [[Yohkoh]] (SOLAR-A) spacecraft, was launched on 23 September 2006 by JAXA.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://solar-b.nao.ac.jp/index_e.shtml |title=National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322214057/http://solar-b.nao.ac.jp/index_e.shtml |archive-date=22 March 2012 |access-date=2015-07-12 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://solar-b.msfc.nasa.gov/|title=SSL Redirect... please wait|access-date=12 June 2015}}</ref> A SOLAR-C can be expected sometime after 2020. However no details are worked out yet other than it will not be launched with the former ISAS's Mu rockets. Instead a H-2A from Tanegashima could launch it. As H-2A is more powerful, SOLAR-C could either be heavier or be stationed at {{L1}} ([[Lagrange point]] 1).

=== Radio astronomy ===
In 1997, Japan launched the [[HALCA]] (MUSES-B) mission, the world's first spacecraft dedicated to conduct space VLBI observations of pulsars, among others. To do so, ISAS set up a ground network around the world through international cooperation. The observation part of the mission lasted until 2003 and the satellite was retired at the end of 2005. In FY 2006, Japan funded the [[ASTRO-G]] as the succeeding mission. ASTRO-G was canceled in 2011.