OICETS


The Optical Inter-orbit Communications Engineering Test Satellite, also called Kirari, was an experimental satellite launched by JAXA to demonstrate interorbital communication between satellites through optical means. OICETS was originally slated for a launch on the second J-I launcher. Due to problems with that launcher, the launch had to be put on hold. Using the H-IIA was out of question: it would have been overkill to use the H-IIA to send a satellite into low Earth orbit, and there was no budget for another H-IIA launch. Finally, in order to be able to perform the tests during the lifetime of the European Artemis satellite, OICETS was successfully launched on a Dnepr rocket.
The satellite was decommissioned and its mission terminated on 24 September 2009 at 05:48 UTC.

Achievements