Janaury 10, 2017
JAXA
The Japan Space Exploration Agency (JAXA) is Japan's national aero-space agency. Its current areas of exploration include lunar and interplanetary missions, astronomy, communication, positioning and technology tests and earth observation. The organization has been participating in many space mission, as support or as a partner in the development of satellites, space rovers, and rockets, among others. It currently does not have a human space exploration program, but the organization has astronauts who work together with other space agencies across the world. The TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission), a joint satellite project with NASA, is one of JAXA's first projects with regard to Rainfall observation. It has been replaced now by the GPM (Global Precipitation Measurement) Core Observatory. Their latest launch was that of X-ray Astronomy Satellite "Hitomi" (ASTRO-H).
Aside from outer-space exploration, JAXA also does research on supersonic aircraft. The organization has been developing technology that could replace the Concorde - currently the fastest aircraft for transport. The D-SEND Program conducted by JAXA tested the reduction of the effects of super sonic flight for their proposed aircraft. However, the success of this project is still unclear, as it has been met with limited interest among the related industries.
JAXA is a merger of three independent organization, and since its making, the organization has been responsible for launching satellites into orbit and in the exploration of asteroids, among other successes in the field of space exploration. As of today, the organization has expanded, with the following seven branches: Space Transportation Mission Directorate, Satellite Application Mission Directorate (I and II), Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate, Institute of Aeronotical Technology, Institute of Space and Austronautical Science, and Aerospace Research and Development Directorate.
Bibiliography
"JAXA - Keiji Tachikawa - Jaxa in 2006" http://global.jaxa.jp/article/interview/vol21/p2_e.html. Accessed 10 January 2017
"D-SEND # 2" http://www.aero.jaxa.jp/spsite/d-send2/. Accessed 10 January 2017
JAXA "Law Concerning Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency" http://www.jaxa.jp/about/law/law_e.pdf. Accessed 10 January 2017
