Japs to launch their 1st Spy Sat!

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-03-27 11:50pm

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20030 ... kyodo-soci

This will be pretty big news in Northeast Asia (in the next few hours).

This will be the first attempt by Japan to put spy satellites in orbit. They are moving ahead quickly on this because of the threat from misbehaving North Korea.

The time will be: 8:27 p.m. Thursday Eastern Time. The launch site for the H-2 rocket is Tanegashima Island in southern Japan. There is heavy security there. (Open source information).

No Japanese websites, (that I have noticed), are planning to webcast, although they have webcast other satellite launches in the past.

News stories should break on the Web soon after, depending upon success or failure today.

North Korea is then liable to "launch" their own vitriol and anger at Japan in the next few days through their press, or perhaps threatening countermeasures. It could be bitter words, or it could be a Nodong test launch of their own in response at this point.

Stay tuned.

Crown · Post by **Crown** » 2003-03-27 11:54pm

Surely the Japanese space programs has launched satellites in orbit before? Or is this the first official spy satellite launch we are talking about here?

kojikun · Post by **kojikun** » 2003-03-27 11:56pm

isnt it funny that NKs missiles are "dong" this and "dong" that? maybe its cause Kim Jong Il has got 'Nodong' eh?

EmperorChrostas the Cruel · Post by **EmperorChrostas the Cruel** » 2003-03-28 12:16am

North Korea has already stated that this launch was "threatening" and "dangerous".
They claimed they will have to launch a spy satilite of there own, to "counter" this "threat.

Perhaps Kim Jon Mentaly Ill fears having his soul stolen. (Camera)

Maybe NK doesn't want to have the giant robot to be seen heading towards Japan, giving them time to awaken Godzilla, and direct him to counter the threat.

My spy satelite can beat up YOUR spy satelite!

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-03-28 01:42pm

An H-2A rocket lifts of from Japan's national space centre
at Tanegashima.(AFP/File)

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-03-28 01:44pm

An H-2A rocket carrying Japan's first spy satellites rises into the air
after blasting off from Tanegashima Space Center on the Japanese
southwestern island, south west of Tokyo, March 28, 2003. Japan
blasted its first spy satellites into orbit, giving Tokyo its first
independent peek into heavily armed North Korea (news - web sites)
but at the risk of provoking its communist neighbor into a missile
launch. (Kimimasa Mayama/Reuters)

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-03-28 01:47pm

A North Korean soldier (R) uses binoculars to survey across
the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) as a South Korean soldier walks
in front(AFP/File/Kim Kae-Hwan)

Queeb Salaron · Post by **Queeb Salaron** » 2003-03-28 04:49pm

MKSheppard wrote:
An H-2A rocket lifts of from Japan's national space centre
at Tanegashima.(AFP/File)

Why do they always paint the support towers for rockets white and red? Are they afraid whoever's piloting the ship won't see it and run into it? Or that airplane pilots won't see the big fucking spaceship, so they make a flashy red-and-white tower to avert air traffic?

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » 2003-03-28 05:07pm

Your guess is as good as mine...

Ignorant twit · Post by **Ignorant twit** » 2003-03-28 06:46pm

Aren't Japans national colors red and white?

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2003-03-28 07:10pm

Yes, but that has nothing to do with the tower, probably.

RadiO · Post by **RadiO** » 2003-03-28 07:39pm

My guess: the known measurements of the colour bands provide a frame of reference for launch photography?

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-03-28 07:46pm

Queeb Salaron wrote: Why do they always paint the support towers for rockets white and red? Are they afraid whoever's piloting the ship won't see it and run into it? Or that airplane pilots won't see the big fucking spaceship, so they make a flashy red-and-white tower to avert air traffic?

They put flashing lights on the tops of skyscrapers that are fully lit 24/7...

It may just be tradition, or something.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-03-28 07:59pm

This should help South East Asia paranoia about a resurgence of Japanese militarism

I'd bet of the PRC had a working anti satellite weapon they use it on this thing.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-03-28 09:18pm

RadiO wrote:My guess: the known measurements of the colour bands provide a frame of reference for launch photography?

DING DING DING DING

WE HAVE A WINNER!

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2003-03-28 11:01pm

What is NK spewing? The launch of spy sats has never been seen as an escalation; not during the Cold War, not now.

Stuart Mackey · Post by **Stuart Mackey** » 2003-03-28 11:27pm

kojikun wrote:isnt it funny that NKs missiles are "dong" this and "dong" that? maybe its cause Kim Jong Il has got 'Nodong' eh?

Booo!!

Stuart Mackey · Post by **Stuart Mackey** » 2003-03-28 11:29pm

HemlockGrey wrote:What is NK spewing? The launch of spy sats has never been seen as an escalation; not during the Cold War, not now.

You just wait till NK work out that Japan can boost satillites on rockets into space and also has nuclear reactors. Then you will see spewing of coldwar rhetoric

RadiO · Post by **RadiO** » 2003-03-29 05:29pm

MKSheppard wrote:
DING DING DING DING

WE HAVE A WINNER!

Excellent!

[punches air, punches ceiling] Shit!

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-03-29 07:07pm

HemlockGrey wrote:What is NK spewing? The launch of spy sats has never been seen as an escalation; not during the Cold War, not now.

North Korea threatens war every time the ROK has a military exercises involving more then a battalion or so of troops.

Andrew J. · Post by **Andrew J.** » 2003-03-29 07:30pm

Hell, North Korea threatens war when Kim Il-Jong has an upset stomach, I'll bet. Something like this will probably provoke days of rhetoric.

kojikun · Post by **kojikun** » 2003-03-29 07:52pm

NK will launch its own satellite? Can they even put one in orbit?! Or make a decent spy sat? I imagine they'll have really shitty pictures.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-03-29 08:19pm

kojikun wrote:NK will launch its own satellite? Can they even put one in orbit?! Or make a decent spy sat? I imagine they'll have really shitty pictures.

No they can't orbit anything. If they could that would also give them a ICBM capability.

Any satellite they built would suck shit anyway. And you can buy footage with .8 meter resolution from civilian companies anyway. It's about 3000 dollars to point the cameras at a spot plus another 30 for each square kilometer photographed. Problem is it can take eight months to get your pictures.

David · Post by **David** » 2003-03-29 08:21pm

Why exactly are they doing this? It's not like it matters if Japan knows what the NK military is doing, since the Japanese people practically revolt when lawmakers suggest creating a military force capaible of protecting their nation.

Arrow · Post by **Arrow** » 2003-03-29 08:23pm

I'm just waiting for NK to actually act on their threats and start some shit. I have a feeling that Bush would nuke their asses instantly, regardless of what China or Russia want.