H-II | SFU & Himawari 5

SFU (Space Flyer Unit) was a Japanese space laboratory launched by the same H-2 + SSB rocket that launched GMS 5. It carried an infrared telescope (IRTS), and instruments and supplies for microgravity experiments. Himawari 5 was a Japanese geostationary meteorological satellite built by Hughes Space and Communications.

Mission Details

  • Launch date: March 18, 1995 at 08:01 AM UTC
  • Launch vehicle: H-II
  • Operator: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
  • Launch site: Tanegashima Space Center, Japan
  • Mission type: Astrophysics