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Original †Original text - http://smatsu.air-nifty.com/lbyd/2007/10/10_75da.html Translation †"Kaguya Reaches the Regular Observation Orbit, Moving to Regular Control Mode - Press Conference from 10:30am" Press conference from 10:30am about transition to regular control mode. Attendants are Dr. Yoshisada Takizawa (Project Manager), Prof. Susumu Sasaki (Project Scientist) and Dr. Sobue Shinichi (Principal Investigator of SELENE Project Team). It started with the casual opening remark by Public Affairs Department "these days we've been holding joyful press conferences with smiles Takizawa: The initial critical phase was completed. The regular control mode means attitude control mode of a satellite with three axis control to observe the Moon's surface by having the observation equipment face the moon at all times. Read-out of the press release. 
Explanation of images released todayby Shinichi Sobue, the Principal Investigator of SELENE Project Team. An image taken by the monitoring camera. The field of view is 71deg x 94deg. The resolution is 300m/pixel from 120-km altitude. Note by Matsuura: the FOV of the monitoring camera is in terms of the 35-mm film camera, and its focal length is about 19-20 mm. Questions and answers as follows. This time questioners often did not tell their names. NHK: What is the difference between these images and past images? I'd like to know features of these images, like that, for example, taken at the lower altitude than that of Clementine an so on. Takizawa: We think these images have reality. We can see a part of Kaguya in the pictures. Unknown: Please tell me what you are feeling at completion of critical phase. Give a comment for the people who put their names on Kaguya, and for scientists waiting for data. Takizawa: We can start observation only after success of past sequences, so I feel relieved to see that observation can be started. Long was not only the phase period but also the event list for when and what to do. Looking it back, I realized we've completed so many events. We'll check out equipment from now. We are looking forward to seeing what new data we gets. Sasaki: Likened to Olympic games, Kaguya has just come to the Olympic stadium and is now starting the preparation for the games. From now, players from China, India, USA and so on will come to the moon one after another. I am looking forward to obtaining good data, because we are confident on the equipment of Kaguya. We may be able to get not only expected observation data but unexpected new discoveries. I'm looking forward to it. We cannot start regular observation without successful checkout of equipment, so currently my mind is preoccupied with checkout. 
Unknown: On what date was the critical phase completed? Please tell me the sequence for equipment checkout. Takizawa: We shifted its operation mode to the regular control mode on 19th, and confirmed its success on 20th. Sasaki: As for schedules from now, the first step will be checkout of the bus system and redundancy systems. For observation systems, first we will deploy the mast of the Lunar Magnetometer, deploy the antenna of the Lunar Radar Sounder, and operate the gimbal mounting the Upper-atmosphere and Plasma lmager (UPI). Next we will start up the low-voltage system of 14 observation instruments, which will be completed by the mid November. Finally, we will start up the high-voltage system by gradually increasing the voltage over one month. But this is just a schedule and can be changed. Aoki, a freelance journalist: About orbits of Kaguya and mini satellites. Now Kaguya is on the 80x120km orbit. Are you planning to modify it toward the 100-km orbit? Did mini satellites enter the expected orbits? Takizawa: We conclude that the current orbit is nominal just as expected. The distortion of the lunar gravitation field affects the altitude of the satellite on the 100-km circular orbit. The observation orbit of Kaguya permits errors about 30km. The current orbit is within the margin of error. In the future the orbit will gradually change closer to the 100-km circular orbit by influence of the lunar gravity distortion, and eventually the apocynthion and pericynthian will be exchanged and then the orbit will be more elliptic again. When its error becomes about 30km, the orbit will be controlled by thrusters. Unknown: Please give me a comment about launch of the Chinese lunar probe. Takizawa: We hope both they and we will obtain success. We'd like to enhance the study of the moon together with each other by using both data. Sasaki: we hope that we will establish the cooperative relations where one and one make even three or four. Mainichi Shimbun Press: Are the electric power, the propellant and communication as expected? Sasaki: There still remains more propellants than expected, due to accurate injection into the orbit by the rocket and the effective orbit control. The power is nominal. The communication is good. Aviation Week: More concrete information about the propellant, please. Like, how many kilograms is remaining and so on. Takizawa: We have dozens of kilograms remaining compared to the plan. Kita: You've done a fine job over 10-year development and the two-month critical phase. We've seen you have completed many works since the launch, and I guess you had to make a lot of thorough preparations. Please give me some examples that you feel proud of. Takizawa: Lunar orbit injection (LOI) is very critical and its failure would have a serious influence. Against the failure, we carefully and deeply considered various countermeasures. The flight operation is executed in Sagamihara, so we also considered what we should do if Sagamihara would be suffered from disasters. Before LOI, we established a system to send a command directly from Usuda Deep Space Center, even if Sagamihara would be suffered. We faced the actual operation along with various backup systems. Fortunately we did not have to use them. The final goal of Kaguya is release of novel data, so I'd like to keep fresh mind till that. Sasaki: These favorable successes have been brought about mainly by the fact that dozens of operation team members are united and working systematically. At private interviews after the conference. Sobue: My life is now synchronized with the moonrise. I'm living on UT as the time format. My life independent of day and night will continue for a while. Previously Kaguya kept its attitude by jet of thrusters. The reaction wheels were not used even in changing the orbit by the 500N thruster. It is the first time to move the wheels to control the attitude in the regular control mode. Takizawa: Now I just hope we can release proud data calmly to the world. Request for comments † |
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