Japan postpones launch of two spy satellites

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, September 27, 2003

Japan postpones launch of two spy satellites

Japan has postponed the launch of two spy satellites because of problem on the rocket.

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Japan has postponed the launch of two spy satellites because of problem on the rocket.

The satellites would have been launched by an H-2A rocket at around 1:30 p.m.(0430 GMT) on Saturday at the Tanegashima Space Center in the southern Kagoshima Prefecture.

Something went wrong on the second stage of the rocket, said the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The launchwill not resume until after Oct. 2, said the agency.

One of the satellites is equipped with an optical sensor which is capable of distinguishing objects such as cars on the ground within a resolution of one meter.

The other is equipped with synthetic aperture radar which allows it to see through the dark, clouds and fog within a resolution of one to three meters, said Kyodo News.

The planned launch was preceded by another two on March 28. Japan maintains its space programs are peaceful, but decided to deploy spy satellites after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea test-fired a ballistic missile in 1998, overflying the Japanese islands.

Source: Xinhua News Agency

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