 Tenma (Japanese for "Pegasus") | |||||||||
| Names | ASTRO-B | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mission type | X-ray astronomy | ||||||||
| Operator | ISAS | ||||||||
| COSPAR ID | 1983-011A | ||||||||
| SATCAT no. | 13829 | ||||||||
| Mission duration | 5 years, 9 months, 27 days | ||||||||
| Spacecraft properties | |||||||||
| Launch mass | 216 kg (476 lb) [1] | ||||||||
| Dimensions | 0.94 m × 0.895 m (3.08 ft × 2.94 ft) | ||||||||
| Start of mission | |||||||||
| Launch date | 20 February 1983, 05:10 UTC | ||||||||
| Rocket | M-3S | ||||||||
| Launch site | Kagoshima Space Center | ||||||||
| End of mission | |||||||||
| Disposal | Decommissioned | ||||||||
| Last contact | 17 December 1988 [2] | ||||||||
| Decay date | 19 January 1989 | ||||||||
| Orbital parameters | |||||||||
| Reference system | Geocentric [1] | ||||||||
| Regime | Low Earth | ||||||||
| Perigee altitude | 489 km (304 mi) | ||||||||
| Apogee altitude | 503 km (313 mi) | ||||||||
| Inclination | 31.5° | ||||||||
| Period | 94 minutes | ||||||||
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Tenma, known as ASTRO-B before launch, was a Japanese X-ray astronomy satellite developed by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science. It was launched on 20 February 1983, using a M-3S rocket on the M-3S-3 mission. It was the second X-ray observatory successfully operated by Japan after Hakucho (CORSA-B), [3] [a] and it had a superior temporal and spectral sensitivity compared to its predecessor. [5]
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Battery failure in July 1984 caused the operation to become limited, and continuing problems lead to the termination of X-ray observation on 11 November 1985, [6] however it remained in sporadic contact until 17 December 1988. [2] It reentered the atmosphere on 19 January 1989. [b]
