ASTRO-C, renamed Ginga (Japanese for 'galaxy'), was an X-ray astronomy satellite launched from the Kagoshima Space Center on 5 February 1987 using M-3SII launch vehicle. The primary instrument for observations was the Large Area Counter (LAC). Ginga was the third Japanese X-ray astronomy mission, following Hakucho and Tenma (also Hinotori satellite - which preceded Ginga - had X-ray sensors, but it can be seen as a heliophysics rather than X-ray astronomy mission). Ginga reentered the Earth's atmosphere on 1 November 1991.

Ginga

Names	Astro-C before launch
Mission type	X-ray Astronomy
Operator	Institute of Space and Astronautical Science University of Tokyo
COSPAR ID	1987-012A
SATCAT no.	17480
Spacecraft properties
Launch mass	400 kg (880 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	06:28:00, February 5, 1987 (UTC) (1987-02-05T06:28:00Z)
Rocket	M-3S2, mission M-3S2-3
Launch site	Uchinoura Space Center
End of mission
Decay date	November 1, 1991 (1991-11-01)
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Eccentricity	0.01365
Perigee altitude	517 km (321 mi)
Apogee altitude	708 km (440 mi)
Inclination	31.1°
Period	97 min
Epoch	February 5, 1987

Instruments

• Large Area Proportional Counter (LAC 1.5-37 keV)
• All-Sky Monitor (ASM 1-20 keV)
• Gamma-ray Burst Detector (GBD 1.5-500 keV)

Highlights

• Discovery of transient Black Hole Candidates and study of their spectral evolution.
• Discovery of weak transients in the galactic ridge.
• Detection of cyclotron features in 3 X-ray pulsars: 4U1538-522, V0332+53, and Cep X-4.
• Evidence for emission and absorption Fe feature in Seyfert probing reprocessing by cold matter.
• Discovery of intense 6-7 keV iron line emission from the Galactic Center region.

External links

• NASA/GSFC information of Ginga (ex Astro-C)

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