Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) would like to advise about the launch postponement of the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS), whose launch was scheduled in the summer of 2005.
The reason for the delay is as follows:
JAXA found an anomaly in the Infrared Imaging Surveyor Satellite (ASTRO-F) during ground tests. The ASTRO-F is also scheduled to be launched within the 2005 Japanese fiscal year. In the course of the investigation of the anomaly, JAXA found that a foreign object was mixed in the satellite’s transistor. While the transistor of the ASTRO-F was being replaced, JAXA checked all its other satellites. As a result, we found that the ALOS, which was scheduled to be launched this summer, is also equipped with the same transistor that was manufactured in the same timeframe as the one installed in the ASTRO-F. Although the ALOS transistor is currently working properly, it is a high possibility that it also contains a foreign object. Therefore, JAXA decided to replace the ALOS transistor to make sure of the success of the mission.
The ALOS launch scheduled for this summer was postponed in order to secure the necessary time for the replacement.
