Kaguya(Selene) Scenario [Last saved 10/3/2007.  Scenario originally created by Mike Loucks, SEE]

This scenario is a recreation of the SELENE, or Kaguya mission launched by the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) on 14 Sept 2007.

 

Data for the trajectory recreation came from the following sites:

 

http://www.jaxa.jp/countdown/f13/schedule/sequence_e.html

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/database/MasterCatalog?sc=SELENE

http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2007/10/20071001_kaguya_e.html

http://www.selene.jaxa.jp/en/profile/profile_e.htm

 

We were able to duplicate the Selene mission trajectory and timeline.  The spacecraft was launched into a 281 km circular orbit at 30 degrees of inclination from the Tanegashima Launch complex on 14 Sept. 2007 1:31:01 UTCG.  After a short coast of approximately 30 minutes, the satellite is inserted to a 218 x 232,731 km orbit.  Another maneuver is performed at the first Apogee, which moves the perigee to 924 km.

 

At the first perigee, the apogee is raised to approximately 414,000 km.  The satellite completes one full orbit, and then encounters the Moon before the next Apogee with only TCM maneuvers.

 

 

The spacecraft inserts into Lunar orbit with a 100 km periapsis altitude and an apoapsis altitude of 13,000 km.   Several other maneuvers are performed to gradually lower the orbit to the science altitude, while separating off 2 smaller sub-satellites.

 

 

 

Michel E. Loucks

President, Space Mission Engineer

Space Exploration Engineering Corp. 

loucks@see.com 

360.378.7168 

360.317.5527 (cell)

www.see.com