The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has completed initial functional verification. and calibration and verification tests of the Advanced Land Observing Satellite and operations began Oct. 24, JAXA announced.

Daichi was launched in January and data from the spacecraft will be available to the public from either the Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan or the Earth Remote Sensing Data Analysis Center.

Separately, JAXA has set the date for the launch of its Engineering Test Satellite 8 aboard an H-2A rocket for Dec. 16.