The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has announced the nickname for the lunar explorer SELENE, which was selected from submissions sent in by the general public: "KAGUYA." The name is taken, appropriately, from the name of a moon princess in a folktale.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) plans to launch SELENE (SELenological and ENgineering Explorer) on-board a H-IIA Launch Vehicle from Tanegashima Space Center in 2007. The major objectives of the SELENE mission are to obtain scientific data of the lunar origin and evolution, and to develop the technology for future lunar exploration. SELENE consists of a main orbiting satellite located at about 100km altitude, and two small satellites (Relay Satellite and VRAD Satellite) in polar orbit. The orbiters will carry instruments for scientific investigation of the Moon, on the Moon, and from the Moon.

JAXA claims that SELENE will be the most sophisticated lunar exploration mission in the post-Apollo Era. According to the agency, SELENE will observe the distribution of the elements and minerals on the surface, the surface and sub-surface structure, the gravity field, the remnant of the magnetic field, and the environment of energetic particles and plasma of the Moon. The scientific data will also be used for exploring the possibilities of the future utilization of the Moon. JAXA will also establish the basic technologies for future Moon exploration: lunar polar orbit insertion, 3-axis attitude control and thermal control in lunar orbit. In addition, SELENE will take pictures and movies of Earth-rise from the Moon horizon.

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--JAXA and SPACE.com Staff

Credit: JAXA