Ginga (satellite)

Japanese X-ray astronomy satellite

Ginga
Spacecraft properties

Names	Astro-C before launch

Mission type	X-ray Astronomy
Operator	Institute of Space and Astronautical Science University of Tokyo
COSPAR ID	1987-012A
SATCAT no.	17480


Launch mass	400 kg (880 lb)


Start of mission
Launch date	06:28:00, February 5, 1987 (UTC) (1987-02-05T06:28:00Z)
Rocket	M-3S2, mission M-3S2-3
Launch site	Uchinoura Space Center


End of mission
Decay date	November 1, 1991 (1991-11-01)


Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Eccentricity	0.01365
Perigee altitude	517 km (321 mi)
Apogee altitude	708 km (440 mi)
Inclination	31.1°
Period	97 min
Epoch	February 5, 1987

ASTRO-C, renamed Ginga (Japanese for 'galaxy'), was an X-ray astronomy satellite launched from the Kagoshima Space Center on 5 February 1987 using M-3SII launch vehicle. The primary instrument for observations was the Large Area Counter (LAC). Ginga was the third Japanese X-ray astronomy mission, following Hakucho and Tenma (also Hinotori satellite - which preceded Ginga - had X-ray sensors, but it can be seen as a heliophysics rather than X-ray astronomy mission). Ginga reentered the Earth's atmosphere on 1 November 1991.

Instruments

Large Area Proportional Counter (LAC 1.5-37 keV)
All-Sky Monitor (ASM 1-20 keV)
Gamma-ray Burst Detector (GBD 1.5-500 keV)

Highlights

Discovery of transient Black Hole Candidates and study of their spectral evolution.
Discovery of weak transients in the galactic ridge.
Detection of cyclotron features in 3 X-ray pulsars: 4U1538-522, V0332+53, and Cep X-4.
Evidence for emission and absorption Fe feature in Seyfert probing reprocessing by cold matter.
Discovery of intense 6-7 keV iron line emission from the Galactic Center region.

External links

NASA/GSFC information of Ginga (ex Astro-C)

Space telescopes

Operating

Radio and Microwave	NCLE (since 2018) Solar Orbiter (since 2020) STEREO (since 2006) Queqiao (since 2018) Wind (since 1994) Queqiao 2 (since 2024)
Infrared	James Webb (since 2022) Odin (since 2001) SOLAR (since 2008) WISE (since 2009)
Optical	Aoi (since 2018) Astrosat (since 2015) BRITE constellation (since 2013) CHASE (since 2021) CHEOPS (since 2019) DSCOVR (since 2015) Euclid (since 2023) Hayabusa2 (since 2021) Gaia (since 2013) HiRISE (since 2005) Hubble (since 1990) Hinode (Solar-B) (since 2006) NEOSSat (since 2013) Odin (since 2001) SDO (since 2010) SOHO (since 1995) SOLAR (since 2008) Swift (since 2004) TESS (since 2018)
Ultraviolet	Aditya-L1 (since 2023) ASO-S (since 2022) Astrosat (since 2015) Hibari (since 2021) Hinode (Solar-B) (since 2006) IRIS (since 2013) SDO (since 2010) SOHO (since 1995) SOLAR (since 2008) Solar Orbiter (since 2020) STEREO (since 2006) Swift (since 2004)
X-ray and Gamma-ray	CALET (since 2015) Chandra (AXAF) (since 1999) DAMPE (since 2015) Einstein Probe (since 2024) HXMT (Insight) (since 2017) INTEGRAL (since 2002) Fermi (since 2008) GECAM (since 2020) IXPE (since 2021) Spektr-RG (since 2019) SVOM (since 2024) Swift (since 2004) Max Valier Sat (since 2017) MAXI (since 2009) MinXSS-2 (since 2018) NICER (since 2017) NuSTAR (since 2012) LEIA (since 2022) XRISM (since 2023) XPoSat (since 2024) XMM-Newton (since 1999)
Other (particle or unclassified)	ACE (since 1997) AMS-02 (since 2011) CALET (since 2015) DAMPE (since 2015) IBEX (since 2008) ISS-CREAM (since 2017) Mini-EUSO (since 2019) SOHO (since 1995) Solar Orbiter (since 2020) STEREO (since 2006)

Planned

SPHEREx (2025)
K-EUSO (2026)
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (2026)
PLATO (2026)
Xuntian (2026)
COSI (2027)
LORD (2027)
NEO Surveyor (2027)
JASMINE (2028)
Solar-C EUVST (2028)
ARIEL (2029)
Spektr-UV (2030)
UVEX (2030)
Spektr-M (2030+)
LiteBIRD (2032)
Taiji (2033)
Athena (2035)
LISA (2035)

Proposed

Retired

AGILE (2007–2024)
Akari (Astro-F) (2006–2011)
ALEXIS (1993–2005)
Alouette 1 (1962–1972)
Ariel 1 (1962, 1964)
Ariel 2 (1964)
Ariel 3 (1967–1969)
Ariel 4 (1971–1972)
Ariel 5 (1974–1980)
Ariel 6 (1979–1982)
ASTERIA (2017–2019)
ATM (1973–1974)
ASCA (Astro-D) (1993–2000)
Astro-1 (1990)
- BBXRT
- HUT
Astro-2 (HUT) (1995)
Astron (1983–1991)
ANS (1974–1976)
BeppoSAX (1996–2003)
CHIPSat (2003–2008)
Compton (CGRO) (1991–2000)
CoRoT (2006–2013)
Cos-B (1975–1982)
COBE (1989–1993)
CXBN-2 (2017–2019)
DXS (1993)
EPOCh (2008)
EPOXI (2010)
Explorer 11 (1961)
EXOSAT (1983–1986)
EUVE (1992–2001)
FUSE (1999–2007)
Kvant-1 (1987–2001)
GALEX (2003–2013)
Gamma (1990–1992)
Ginga (Astro-C) (1987–1991)
Granat (1989–1998)
Hakucho (CORSA-b) (1979–1985)
HALCA (MUSES-B) (1997–2005)
HEAO-1 (1977–1979)
Herschel (2009–2013)
Hinotori (Astro-A) (1981–1991)
Hisaki (SPRINT-A) (2013–2023)
HEAO-2 (Einstein Obs.) (1978–1982)
HEAO-3 (1979–1981)
HETE-2 (2000–2008)
Hipparcos (1989–1993)
ILO-X (2024)
IRAS (1983)
IRTS (1995–1996)
ISO (1996–1998)
IUE (1978–1996)
IXAE (1996–2004)
Kepler (2009–2018)
Kristall (1990–2001)
LEGRI (1997–2002)
LISA Pathfinder (2015–2017)
MinXSS (2015–2017)
MOST (2003–2019)
MSX (1996–1997)
Mikhailo Lomonosov (2016–2019?)
OAO-2 (1968–1973)
OAO-3 (Copernicus) (1972–1981)
Orbiting Solar Observatory
- OSO 1
- OSO B
- OSO 3
- OSO 4
- OSO 5
- OSO 6
- OSO 7
- OSO 8
Orion 1 (1971)
Orion 2 (1973)
PAMELA (2006–2016)
PicSat (2018)
Planck (2009–2013)
RELIKT-1 (1983–1984)
R/HESSI (2002–2018)
ROSAT (1990–1999)
RXTE (1995–2012)
SAMPEX (1992–2004)
SAS-B (1972–1973)
SAS-C (1975–1979)
Solwind (1979–1985)
Spektr-R (2011–2019)
Spitzer (2003–2020)
Suzaku (Astro-EII) (2005–2015)
Taiyo (SRATS) (1975–1980)
Tenma (Astro-B) (1983–1985)
Uhuru (1970–1973)
Vanguard 3 (1959)
WMAP (2001–2010)
Yokoh (Solar-A) (1991–2001)

Hibernating
(Mission completed)

SWAS (1998–2005)
TRACE (1998–2010)

Lost/Failed

OAO-1 (1966)
OAO-B (1970)
CORSA (1976)
CXBN (2012–2013)
OSO C (1965)
ABRIXAS (1999)
HETE-1 (1996)
WIRE (1999)
Astro-E (2000)
Tsubame (2014–2015)
Hitomi (Astro-H) (2016)

Cancelled

Aelita
AOSO
Astro-G
Constellation-X
Darwin
Destiny
EChO
Eddington
FAME
FINESSE
GEMS
HOP
IXO
JDEM
LOFT
OSO J
OSO K
Sentinel
SIM & SIMlite
SNAP
SPICA
SPOrt
TAUVEX
TPF
XEUS
XIPE

Category:Space telescopes

Japanese space program

Italics indicates projects in development.
Symbol ^† indicates failed projects.
~~Strikethrough lines~~ indicate cancelled projects.

Space agencies

National space agencies	JAXA former ISAS NAL NASDA NICT JSS
Joint development partners	United States NASA¹ ESA² Italy ASI³ Canada CSA⁴ Russia Roscosmos⁵ Brazil AEB⁶ INPE⁷ India ISRO⁸

Astronomical observation

Past	Akari ASCA ASTRO-E^† ~~Astro-G~~ CORSA^† Ginga Hakucho HALCA Hinotori Hitomi^† ~~SPICA~~ Suzaku Tenma Yohkoh
Active	Hinode Hisaki XRISM¹
Future	ATHENA² SOLAR-C¹ GREX-PLUS [ja] HiZ-GUNDAM [ja] LAPYUTA LiteBIRD Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope¹ Nano-JASMINE Small-JASMINE

Communications satellites, broadcasting satellites and satellite navigation systems

Past	BS 2X 3H 3N Kakehashi Kirari Kizuna Kodama MBSat N-STAR a b Sakura (1 2a 2b 3a 3b) Yuri 1 2a 2b 3a 3b
Active	Kirameki 1 2 Michibiki 1 2 3 4 1R MTSAT N-STAR c d JDRS
Future	DSN 3 QZS 5 6 7

Earth observation

Past	Akebono Daichi 1 3^† Denpa Fuyo-1 Jikiken Kyokko Midori I II Momo 1 1b Ohozora Taiyo TRMM¹ Ume 1 b Geotail¹
Active	Aqua^1,7 Arase ASNARO 1 2 Daichi 2 4 EarthCARE² GPM¹ Himawari Ibuki original 2 Shikisai Shizuku
Future	GOSAT-GW PMM

Engineering tests

Past	Ayame 1 2 DASH EXPRESS IKAROS Jindai Kiku 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 LDREX 1 2 LRE Micro LabSat-1 Myojo Ohsumi Orizuru RAISE 2 3^† ~~PETSAT~~ RAPIS-1 Ryusei SERVIS-1 SERVIS-2 SDS-1 SFU Shinsei ~~SmartSat-1~~ Tansei 1 2 3 4 Tasuki Tsubame Tsubasa USERS
Active	Ajisai Reimei SDS-4
Future	BEAK ETS-IX G-SATELLITE SERVIS-3

Human spaceflight

Past	~~Fuji crewed spacecraft~~ ~~HOPE-X~~ H-II Transfer Vehicle
Active	International Space Station (ISS) & Japanese Experiment Module (Kibō)^1,2,3,4,5,6
Future	HTV-X Japanese Space Station Module (Mitsui) Lunar Gateway^1,2,4

Space probes

The Moon

Past	Hakuto-R Mission 1^† Hiten ~~Lunar-A~~ Kaguya (SELENE) OMOTENASHI^† ~~SELENE-2~~
Active	EQUULEUS Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM)
Future	Hakuto-R Mission 2 HERACLES^2,4 Lunar Cruiser Lunar Polar Exploration Mission⁸ (LUPEX) Yaoki

Others

Past	Hayabusa ~~Hayabusa Mk2~~ Nozomi^† PROCYON^† Sakigake Shin'en^† Suisei
Active	Akatsuki BepiColombo (MMO/Mio)² Hayabusa2 Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer²
Future	Comet Interceptor² DESTINY+ Dragonfly¹ Hera² MELOS Martian Moons eXploration Next Generation Small-Body Sample Return TEREX

Reconnaissance satellites

Past	IGS-Optical 1 2 Experimentally 3 IGS-Radar 1 2
Active	IGS-Optical 3 4 5 6 Experimentally 5 IGS-Radar 3 4 Spare 5 6
Future	IGS-Optical 7 8 IGS-Radar 7 8

Private small satellites

Past	CosMoz CUTE 1.7+APD Fuji 1 2 Hayato HIBARI HIT-SAT Kagayaki Kanta-kun (WEOS) Kūkai Maido-1 Negai☆″ Niwaka RAIKO Waseda-SAT2 WE WISH
Active	CUTE 1 1.7+APDII Fuji-3 Hitomi Hodoyoshi 1 2 3 4 Horyu 2 Kiseki PROITERES Raijin Raijin-2 SEEDS SOCRATES XI IV V
Future	DRUMS KITSUNE OPUSAT-II QSAT-EOS RSP-01 SOMESAT SpaceTuna1 SPROUT TSUBAME Wisseed Sat WNI satellite

v t e ← 1986 Orbital launches in 1987 1988 →
January	Meteor-2 No.17 Kosmos 1811 Kosmos 1812 Kosmos 1813 Progress 27 Kosmos 1814 Kosmos 1815 Molniya-3 No.42 Kosmos 1816 Kosmos 1817
February	Kosmos 1818 Ginga Soyuz TM-2 Kosmos 1819 USA-21 Kosmos 1820 Kosmos 1821 Momo 1 Kosmos 1822 Kosmos 1823 Kosmos 1824 GOES 7
March	Progress 28 Kosmos 1825 Kosmos 1826 Kosmos 1827, Kosmos 1828, Kosmos 1829, Kosmos 1830, Kosmos 1831, Kosmos 1832 Kosmos 1833 Gran' No.31L Palapa B2P SROSS-A FLTSATCOM-6 Kvant-1
April	Kosmos 1834 Kosmos 1835 Kosmos 1836 Progress 29 Kosmos 1837 Kosmos 1838, Kosmos 1839, Kosmos 1840 Kosmos 1841 Kosmos 1842
May	Kosmos 1843 Gorizont No.23L Kosmos 1844 Kosmos 1845 USA-22, LIPS-3, USA-23, USA-24, USA-25 Polyus Progress 30 Kosmos 1846 Kosmos 1847 Kosmos 1848
June	Kosmos 1849 Kosmos 1850 Kosmos 1851 Kosmos 1852, Kosmos 1853, Kosmos 1854, Kosmos 1855, Kosmos 1856, Kosmos 1857, Kosmos 1858, Kosmos 1859 Resurs-F1 No.105 Kosmos 1860 USA-26 Kosmos 1861
July	Kosmos 1862 Kosmos 1863 Kosmos 1864 Kosmos 1865 Kosmos 1866 Kosmos 1867 Kosmos 1868 Kosmos 1869 Soyuz TM-3 Kosmos 1870
August	Kosmos 1871 Progress 31 Fanhui Shi Weixing 10 Meteor-2 No.21 Kosmos 1872 Kiku No.5 Kosmos 1873
September	Kosmos 1874 Ekran No.29L Kosmos 1875, Kosmos 1876, Kosmos 1877, Kosmos 1878, Kosmos 1879, Kosmos 1880 Fanhui Shi Weixing I-01 Kosmos 1881 Kosmos 1882 Aussat A3, ECS-4 Kosmos 1883, Kosmos 1884, Kosmos 1885 Transit-O 27, Transit-O 29 Kosmos 1886 Progress 32 Kosmos 1887
October	Kosmos 1888 Kosmos 1889 Kosmos 1890 Kosmos 1891 Kosmos 1892 Kosmos 1893 USA-27 Kosmos 1894
November	Kosmos 1895 Kosmos 1896 Progress 33 TV-SAT 1 Kosmos 1897 USA-28
December	Kosmos 1898 Kosmos 1899 Gran' No.32L Kosmos 1900 Kosmos 1901 Kosmos 1902 Soyuz TM-4 Kosmos 1903 Kosmos 1904 Kosmos 1905 Kosmos 1906 Ekran-M No.13L Kosmos 1907
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ). Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).