At 2106 GMT on 17 January 2017, the ASNARO 2 X-band radar satellite was launched into orbit by a Epsilon launch vehicle flying from the Uchinora Launch Centre, Kagoshima, Japan. Built by NEC, the 570 kg spacecraft was placed into a near polar 500 km sun-synchronous orbit inclined at 97.4 degrees to the equator. The spacecraft is designed to take radar observations using its 1m resolution radar for the Japanese government
Asnaro 2 radar satellite is launched by an Epsilon rocket. Courtesy: JAXA