I stumbled upon this article. I wonder if (when) the data collected from this mission will be made available ... Japan launches rocket, deploys satellite Jan 25, 2006, 2:31 GMT TOKYO, Japan (UPI) -- The Japanese space agency successfully launched a domestically made H-2A rocket Tuesday, deploying a land-observation satellite. Liftoff occurred at 10:33 a.m. local time at the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan`s Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyodo news service reported. The satellite was successfully deployed about 17 minutes later at an altitude of 435 miles (700 kilometers), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said. The launch was originally scheduled for last Thursday, but was postponed twice because of equipment problems. The satellite will collect topographic data to contribute to cartography and capture images of disaster-hit areas anywhere in the world, among other things, the agency said. The cost of the launch totaled about $87 million (10 billion yen), while the development of the satellite cost approximately $480 million (55 billion yen), Kyodo said. Copyright 2006 by United Press International http://science.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1079056.php/Japan_launches_rocket_deploys_satellite -- .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._ ANGIE COPE American Geographical Society Library UW Milwaukee 2311 E. Hartford Avenue Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201 http://www.uwm.edu/Libraries/AGSL/index.html Hours: M-F 8:00am-4:30pm [log in to unmask] (414)229-6282 / (800)558-8993 (US TOLL FREE) / (414)229-3624 (FAX) .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._