EGS (Ajisai)

EGS [NASDA]

The EGS (Experimental Geodetic Satellite) mission has 2 primary objectives. The first objective, which was short term, was testing of JAXA's H-1, 2-stage, launch vehicle. The second and primary long term objective was to determine the exact positions of the many isolated Japanese Islands. Ajisai can also be used for directional and photometric observations, using the mirrors equipped on the surface of satellite.

EGS was renamed Ajisai after reaching orbit

Satellite laser ranging to Ajisai is used to precision orbit determination and is used to improve the gravity field.

Ajisai has the following instrumentation onboard:

318 Mirrors
retro-reflector array (RRA) consistings of 1436 cube corners

Nation:	Japan
Type / Application:	Geodesy
Operator:	NASDA
Contractors:
Equipment:	318 Mirrors, retro-reflector array (RRA)
Configuration:	Sphere
Propulsion:	None
Lifetime:
Mass:	685 kg
Orbit:

Satellite	Date	LS		Launcher	Remarks:
EGS (Ajisai)	12.08.1986	Ta		H-1 (9 SO)	with JAS 1a, MABES