Japan's lunar probe performing 'smoothly' after successful launch

September 19, 2007 

An H-IIA rocket, carrying the SELENE lunar orbiter and several smaller satellites, was launched on Friday, September 14 from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. 
The launch, conducted at 01:31 GMT by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), begins the voyage of SELENE to the Moon, and Japanese space officials say that the mission has been going smoothly. 
"The flight has been proceeding smoothly to this point. We haven't had any reports of problems with any of the equipment," said JAXA spokesman Seiji Toyama who also added that the probe is about to finish its first of two orbits around Earth.
Japan 's lunar probe performing ' smoothly ' after successful launch September 19 , 2007 An H - IIA rocket , carrying the SELENE lunar orbiter and several smaller satellites , was launched on Friday , September 14 from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan . The launch , conducted at 01:31 GMT by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ( JAXA ) , begins the voyage of SELENE to the Moon , and Japanese space officials say that the mission has been going smoothly . " The flight has been proceeding smoothly to this point . We have n't had any reports of problems with any of the equipment , " said JAXA spokesman Seiji Toyama who also added that the probe is about to finish its first of two orbits around Earth .
Japan's lunar probe
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successful launch
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An H-IIA rocket
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the SELENE lunar orbiter
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several smaller satellites
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Friday, September 14
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the Tanegashima Space Center
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Japan
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The launch
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01:31 GMT
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Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
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the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
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JAXA
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the voyage
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SELENE
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the Moon
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Japanese space officials
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the mission
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The flight
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this point
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We
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any reports
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problems
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the equipment
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JAXA spokesman Seiji Toyama
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the probe
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two orbits
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Earth
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