Completion of New Earth Observation Satellite "DAICHI-3" Expected to Grasp Damage in Times of Disaster

A new type of earth observation satellite "DAICHI-3" has been completed that can identify 80 cm objects on the ground from outer space.

It is expected to be used to quickly grasp the damage situation in the event of a disaster and to create various maps.

"DAICHI-3" was developed by JAXA = Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Mitsubishi Electric.

It is 5 meters high, 16.5 meters wide, 3.6 meters deep and weighs about 3 tons.

The feature is the sensor attached to the top, and the resolution of the image has improved about three times compared to the first generation "DAICHI" which ended its operation in 2011.

It means that an 80 cm object on the ground can be identified from an altitude of 670 km in space.

In addition, it is possible to transmit up to 1.8 gigabytes of data per second, making communication speeds more than double that of conventional systems. increase.

"DAICHI-3" is scheduled to be launched by Japan's new flagship rocket "H3" within this fiscal year.

Shinki Ohno, Deputy Director of Mitsubishi Electric's Satellite Information Systems Department, said, "In addition to developing from scratch, there were some difficult parts due to the corona crisis, but we were able to complete it. We expect it to be useful for disaster mitigation and disaster prevention."

History up to DAICHI No. 3 Improved performance

The main purpose of the Earth observation satellite "DAICHI" is to monitor and grasp the situation of various disasters such as earthquakes, landslide disasters caused by heavy rains, and volcanic eruptions, as well as to help create maps.

The first generation "DAICHI" operated for five years from 2006, and in 2011, after observing the damage caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake, it ended its operation.

The DAICHI-2, which took over the first generation, was launched in 2014. Taking advantage of its ability to make observations regardless of the time of day or weather, it detects changes in topography, monitors tropical rainforests, and detects crustal movements caused by major earthquakes. widely used.

DAICHI-3 is scheduled to be launched within this fiscal year.

Compared to the first DAICHI, the performance has been improved.

Sharper contours and colors!

The sensors installed in the vehicle make maximum use of the technology that Japan has cultivated over the years.

While maintaining the observation swath of 70 kilometers that the first-generation DAICHI was able to see, the ability to identify objects on the ground has been improved by approximately three times.

The resolution of the sensors that capture black-and-white and color images, which were previously separate, has been increased and integrated.

Simulations show that it can identify an 80-centimeter object from space at an altitude of 670 kilometers.

Observation of detailed data by increasing the wavelength

In addition to the existing blue, green, red, and near-infrared wavelengths of light that can be observed, "coastal" and "red edge" have been newly incorporated.

"Coastal" is an area where the wavelength is shorter than blue, and because light particles are less likely to decrease in water compared to other wavelengths, it becomes easier to capture reflected light, making it possible to measure the depth of water such as coasts and lakes. about it.

The "red edge" is the wavelength between the red and near-infrared.

In the case of healthy plants, there is a characteristic that the reflection of light is strong. We are planning to use it for various countermeasures.

Such improvements in performance will enable more appropriate observations according to the situation and purpose, such as in the event of a disaster, and are expected to be used in a variety of ways, such as investigating and recording the surface of the earth's surface, mainly in Japan.

Shinki Ohno, Deputy General Manager of Mitsubishi Electric's Satellite Information Systems Department, said, "We've been struggling for seven years, but we tried to prioritize safety management even during the corona crisis. We were able to complete the project with the cooperation of not only the workers but also their families and many other people. I think so,” he looked back.