GOSAT (IBUKI)

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GOSAT (IBUKI) is classified as:

Space & Earth Science

NORAD ID: 33492

Int'l Code: 2009-002A

Perigee: 674.8 km

Apogee: 677.1 km

Inclination: 98.0 °

Period: 98.1 minutes

Semi major axis: 7046 km

RCS: 4.88 m² (large)

Launch date: January 23, 2009
Source: Japan (JPN)
Launch site: TANEGASHIMA SPACE CENTER (TNSTA)

The Ibuki (GOSAT) satellite is equipped with a greenhouse gas observation sensor (TANSO-FTS) and a cloud/aerosol sensor (TANSO-CAI) that supplements TANSO-FTS. The greenhouse gas observation sensor of Ibuki observes a wide range of wave lengths (near infrared region - thermal infrared region) within the infrared band to enhance observation accuracy. The number of observation channels is as large as approx 18,500. A cloud/aerosol sensor observes clouds and aerosol that can be a factor leading to errors in the measurement of greenhouse gas in order to improve greenhouse gas observation accuracy. The satellite will observe infrared rays radiated from the sun and reflected from the ground surface and the spectrum of infrared rays radiated from ground surface or the atmosphere itself. As they pass through a gas infrared rays are absorbed only by specific colours, which means components with a specific wave length are revealed. Ibuki calculates the concentration of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere utilizing this principle.