Engineering test Satellite VII
| ETS-VII (Kiku-7) | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Technology testing satellites |
| Country: |
 Japan
|
| Operator: | NASDA |
| COSPAR-ID : | 1997-074B (Hikoboshi) 1997-074E (Orihime) |
| Mission dates | |
| Dimensions: | 2540 kg (Hikoboshi) 410 kg (Orihime) |
| Begin: | November 27, 1997, 21:27 UTC |
| Starting place: | Tanegashima LA-Y |
| Launcher: | H-II 6F |
| Status: | in orbit |
| Orbit data | |
| Rotation time : | 93.9 min |
| Orbit inclination : | 35.0 ° |
| Apogee height : | 551 km |
| Perigee height : | 377 km |
The Engineering Test Satellite VII ( ETS-VII ) or KIKU-7 was a two-satellite experiment by the Japanese space agency NASDA . ETS was launched on November 27, 1997 (November 28 local time) from the Tanegashima Space Center with an H-II rocket. The weight of the satellites was 2,860 kg. The main mission lasted about 1.5 years.
mission
The purpose of the experimental satellite was to gain experience in docking maneuvers and robotic tests in space for future missions. For this purpose, it consisted of two satellites called Hikoboshi (Chaser) and Orihime (Target), which separated after the launch. The aim was to dock the Chaser satellite with the Target satellite. The docking maneuver was carried out successfully with both automatic and manual controls. The satellites are named after lovers of the Tanabata Festival.
A robot arm controlled from Earth was available for the robotic experiments , which was used, for example, to handle small objects. It was the first satellite equipped with a robotic arm.
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Institute for Robotics and System Dynamics at the University of Dortmund were involved from April 19 to 21, 1999 with experiments to control the robot arm with a data glove and the DLR Space Mouse. The aim was to move the arm without special technical knowledge and to simply move or place objects. Simulations of orbit movement were also checked in real time and knowledge gained for future repair satellites. The German project was called GETEX ( GE rman T echnology EX periment on ETS-VII). More scientific data was obtained than planned.
Web links
- ETS-VII at the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (English)
- D. Reintsema, K. Landmarke2, G. Hirzinger: DLR's Advanced Telerobotic Concepts and Experiments for On-Orbit Servicing. (PDF; 5.4 MB) DLR, accessed on July 7, 2011 (English).
Individual evidence
- ↑ Kiku 7 Chaser in the NSSDCA Master Catalog (English)
- ↑ Kiku 7 Target in the NSSDCA Master Catalog (English)