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Kaguya

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description Kaguya Overview

Kaguya, officially designated as SELENE (Selenological and Engineering Explorer), was a lunar orbiter mission developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Launched in 2007, the spacecraft was tasked with collecting detailed scientific data about the Moon's origin and evolution. It carried two smaller relay satellites to study the lunar gravitational field on the far side, alongside terrain cameras and high-definition video equipment. The mission successfully mapped the lunar surface until the main orbiter was intentionally crashed into the Moon in 2009.

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What did Kaguya discover about the far side of the Moon?

Kaguya mapped lunar topography and gravity at much higher consistency than many earlier missions. Data relayed through its Okina subsatellite helped scientists measure far-side gravity, which cannot be tracked directly from Earth.

Why was Kaguya also called SELENE?

SELENE was the mission acronym used by Japan's space agency, while Kaguya was its public name from a princess in The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. JAXA launched the orbiter in 2007.

What were Kaguya's two small subsatellites?

They were named Okina and Ouna, characters connected with Kaguya's folktale. Okina served as a relay satellite for far-side gravity measurements, while Ouna supported radio-science observations.

Did Kaguya record real high-definition video of Earth rising over the Moon?

Yes. An HDTV camera developed with Japanese broadcaster NHK recorded high-definition views of Earth above the lunar horizon. These were orbital images, not footage from a landing, because Kaguya remained a lunar orbiter.

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