The Optical Inter-orbit Communications Engineering Test Satellite (OICETS), also called ''Kirari'', was an experimental satellite launched by

JAXA The is the Japanese national air and space agency. Through the merger of three previously independent organizations, JAXA was formed on 1 October 2003. JAXA is responsible for research, technology development and launch of satellites into o ...

to demonstrate interorbital communication between satellites through optical (laser) means. OICETS was originally slated for a launch on the second

J-I The J-I was a Solid-fuel rocket expendable launch vehicle developed by the National Space Development Agency of Japan and the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science. In an attempt to reduce development costs, it used the solid rocket booster ...

launcher. Due to problems with that launcher, the launch had to be put on hold. Using the

H-IIA H-IIA (H-2A) is an active expendable launch system operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. These liquid fuel rockets have been used to launch satellites into geostationary orbit; lunar o ...

was out of question: it would have been overkill to use the H-IIA to send a satellite into

low Earth orbit A low Earth orbit (LEO) is an orbit around Earth with a period of 128 minutes or less (making at least 11.25 orbits per day) and an eccentricity less than 0.25. Most of the artificial objects in outer space are in LEO, with an altitude never m ...

, and there was no budget for another H-IIA launch. Finally, in order to be able to perform the tests during the lifetime of the European

Artemis In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Artemis (; grc-gre, Ἄρτεμις) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. She was heavily identified with ...

satellite (since 2014, sold to

Avanti Communications Avanti Communications is a UK based satellite operator, selling wholesale satellite broadband and satellite connectivity services to Internet Service Providers, Mobile Network Operators, Enterprises, Governments and other satellite operators. The A ...

to exploit its Ka, S, and L-band payloads), OICETS was successfully launched on an SS-18-based Dnepr rocket. The satellite was decommissioned and its mission terminated on 24 September 2009 at 05:48 UTC.

Achievements

*On 9 December 2005, JAXA succeeded in establishing optical links between OICETS and Artemis. *During March 2006, a successful link between OICETS and a ground station in Japan was established. This was the first optical links connection between a fixed ground station and an LEO satellite. *On 7 June 2006, JAXA established a communication link between OICETS and a mobile ground station operated by the

German Aerospace Center The German Aerospace Center (german: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V., abbreviated DLR, literally ''German Center for Air- and Space-flight'') is the national center for aerospace, energy and transportation research of Germany ...

(DLR).

Notes

External links

OICETS website
at JAXA.jp Satellites of Japan Spacecraft launched in 2005 Spacecraft launched by Dnepr rockets Spacecraft decommissioned in 2009 Technology demonstration satellites {{Japan-spacecraft-stub