Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, JAXA Launch Himawari 8 Weather Satellite

JAXA’s Himawari 8 satellite on its way to orbit. Photo: JAXA.

[Via Satellite 10-08-2014] On Oct. 7, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) launched the Himawari 8 geostationary weather satellite from Tanegashima Space Center. An H2A rocket, built by MHI, carried the satellite. Mitsubishi Electric was the prime contractor for Himawari 8, which it built on the DS2000 platform. The Himawari 8 mission marks the 25 launch of the H2A rocket.

Himawari 8 replaces the Multi-functional Transport Satellite 2 (MTSAT 2), also known as Himawari 7, which was launched in 2006. As its successor, Himawari 8 carries an Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI), built by Exelis. The AHI is based on Exelis’ Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), and will be used to improve weather forecasting and provide more reliable early warnings for severe storms.