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| Japan blasts satellite into space | Japan blasts satellite into space |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Japan's space agency has launched an experimental communications satellite designed to enable super high-speed data transmission in remote areas. | Japan's space agency has launched an experimental communications satellite designed to enable super high-speed data transmission in remote areas. |
| An H-2A rocket carrying the satellite Kizuna (Winds) was launched from the southern island of Tanegashima, about 1,000km (620 miles) south of Tokyo. | |
| A ship entering restricted waters near the launch site slightly delayed the lift-off. | A ship entering restricted waters near the launch site slightly delayed the lift-off. |
| The launch had been postponed by a week because of a mechanical fault. | The launch had been postponed by a week because of a mechanical fault. |
| The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa) said the satellite had separated from the rocket and successfully entered its intended orbit, 283km from Earth. | The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa) said the satellite had separated from the rocket and successfully entered its intended orbit, 283km from Earth. |
| The agency said that with Kizuna, it hoped to enable data transmission of up to 1.2 gigabytes per second at a low cost across Japan and in 19 different locations in South-East Asia. | The agency said that with Kizuna, it hoped to enable data transmission of up to 1.2 gigabytes per second at a low cost across Japan and in 19 different locations in South-East Asia. |
| Hi-definition TV broadcast | Hi-definition TV broadcast |
| Jaxa developed Kizuna with another government agency, the National Institute of Information and Communication Technology, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. | Jaxa developed Kizuna with another government agency, the National Institute of Information and Communication Technology, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. |
| About 100 experiments will be conducted via the satellite, including a test broadcast of the next generation of high-definition television. | About 100 experiments will be conducted via the satellite, including a test broadcast of the next generation of high-definition television. |
| Jaxa spokeswoman Asaka Hagiwara said the total cost of the development, launch and operation of the satellite was estimated at 52bn yen (US$480m; £240m). | Jaxa spokeswoman Asaka Hagiwara said the total cost of the development, launch and operation of the satellite was estimated at 52bn yen (US$480m; £240m). |
| Saturday's launch is part of an ambitious space programme which sent Japan's first lunar probe into orbit around the moon last September. | Saturday's launch is part of an ambitious space programme which sent Japan's first lunar probe into orbit around the moon last September. |
| Jaxa has said it wants to send astronauts to the moon by 2025, although Japan has not yet attempted manned space flight. | Jaxa has said it wants to send astronauts to the moon by 2025, although Japan has not yet attempted manned space flight. |