EUTELSAT 172B
Europe's first high-power all-electric telecom satellite doesn't just sit above the Pacific - it got there on robotic arms and plasma thrusters, broke records doing it, and now keeps your airplane Wi-Fi running between LA and Tokyo.
SPRITE-SAT (RISING) (33494)
COSPAR: 2009-002C | Alt Name: Raijin
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
January 23, 2009
Launch Site
TANSC
Launch Pad
Y
Launch Vehicle
H-IIA 202
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
33494
International Designator
2009-002C
Epoch
Fri, 03 Jul 2026 23:06:30 GMT
Apogee
Calculating...
Perigee
Calculating...
Inclination
98.15°
Right Ascension
90.09°
Eccentricity
Calculating...
Argument of Perigee
329.86°
Period
97.60 min
Mean Motion
14.75 rev/day
Latitude
Calculating...
Longitude
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Altitude
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Velocity
Calculating...
Polar Plot
3D Visualization
Basic Satellite Info
Name
SPRITE-SAT (RISING)
Alternative Name
Raijin
Type
Payload
Status
Unknown
Owner
TOHO
Country
Japan
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Latest TLEs
1 33494U 09002C 26184.96284855 .00000704 00000-0 11152-3 0 9996
2 33494 98.1502 90.0897 0002542 329.8649 30.2413 14.75376901936281
Source: Celestrak
Summary
The SpriteSat satellite, also known as SPRITE-SAT (RISING) or Raijin, was launched on January 23, 2009, from the Tanegashima Space Center using the H-IIA 202 launch vehicle. It is owned and manufactured by TOHO for Earth observation purposes. The satellite has a box shape with an antenna and measures 0.4 meters in length, 0.3 meters in diameter, and spans 0.4 meters. Its dry mass and launch mass are both 20 kilograms. Power is supplied by solar cells and batteries. SpriteSat's radar cross-section (RCS) is 0.268 square meters.
Physical Characteristics
Length
0.4
Diameter
0.3
Span
0.4
Dry Mass
20
Launch Mass
20
Shape
Box + Ant
Radar Cross Section
0.268
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
SpriteSat
Purpose
Earth observation
Mission
Earth observation
Manufacturer
TOHO
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
SpriteSat
Configuration
Unknown
Motor
Unknown
Equipment
Unknown
Power System
Solar cells, batteries
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Map
Next Pass
Azimuth Elevation Time (Local)
Start Azimuth
Max Elevation
Stop Azimuth
Time Until
Pass Duration
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