Tenma

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Tenma
Astro-b tenma.gif
Tenma (Japanese for "Pegasus")
NamesASTRO-B
Mission type X-ray astronomy
Operator ISAS
COSPAR ID 1983-011A OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
SATCAT no. 13829
Mission duration5 years, 9 months, 27 days
Spacecraft properties
Launch mass216 kg (476 lb) [1]
Dimensions0.94 m × 0.895 m (3.08 ft × 2.94 ft)
Start of mission
Launch date20 February 1983, 05:10 UTC
Rocket M-3S
Launch site Kagoshima Space Center
End of mission
DisposalDecommissioned
Last contact17 December 1988 [2]
Decay date19 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
  Hinotori (ASTRO-A)
Ginga (ASTRO-C) 

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.

Contents

Battery failure in July 1984 caused the operation to become limited, and continuing problems lead to the termination of X-ray observation on 17 December 1988. [2] It reentered the atmosphere on 19 January 1989 (other sources, for example the NORAD catalog of satellites, say decay date (the day it stopped working) was 17 May 1988 [3] ).

Highlights

See also

References

  1. 1 2 G. D. Krebs. "Astro B (Tenma)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 "Tenma | Spacecraft". isas.jaxa.jp. JAXA / ISAS . Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  3. "CelesTrak: Search Satellite Catalog".