Japanese Spacecraft ERG may discover new approaches to Van Allen Radiation Belts
The Japanese spaceship, called Exploration of Energization and Radiation in Geospace Satellite, or ERG successfully took off from Uchinoura Space Center in southern Japan, on 20th December; at 6 am EST (1100 GMT; 8 p.m. local Japan time). The spacecraft is designed to provide the astronomers better understanding about the radiation atmosphere of near-Earth.
Yesterday, from the launcher of upgraded Version of Epsilon Booster, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) blasted the spacecraft off from the ground and it successfully made its way to orbit. The Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace satellite, or ERG is intended to discover new approaches to the Van Allen radiation belts which have the potent to harm electronic devices as well as the onboard astronauts.
If everything goes as per the planning of JAXA, ERG will set up in an extremely egg-shaped orbit, with the closest approach to Earth as more as 215 miles (350 kilometers) and as distant as 18,640 miles (30,000 km). This path will take the rocket in the course of the Van Allen radiation belts, where the magnetic field of the planet has fascinated a huge number of fast-moving electrons and other atoms.
From the scientific point of view, the benefits of the launch of this satellite will be two-fold. The satellite, while in one hand will give scientists a fresh and practical insight into the Van Allen radiation belts, which are recognized for creating negatively impacts on electronic devices and astronauts, on the other hand, the launcher of it, Epsilon Booster is likely to facilitate the scientists a less expensive model for the satellite launches in the near future.
The launcher of the satellite, the upgraded Epsilon rocket is developed and operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Both the ERG and the Epsilon 2 rocket are intended to explore the origins and intensity of the Geomagnetic Hurricanes alongside the study of Van Allen radiation belts.
