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June 30, 2003

National Space Development Agency of Japan

                  NASDA REPORT NO.132

Part 1 of 3

C O N T E N T S

* NASDA's Management Departments Granted Third Party Certification
  of ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems 
* NASDA's Facilities Attract Many Visitors during S & T Week
* Front Line of Advanced and Common Technology Research 14
* Let Us Talk to Space Challengers

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NASDA's Management Departments Granted Third Party Certification of
ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems 

Efforts continued to improve the overall performance of NASDA's
quality management process 

Agency-wide Quality Management Systems Almost Completed After NASDA
Headquarters Credited 

The National Space Development Agency (NASDA) has promoted the
development of agency-wide quality management systems in compliance
with all relevant international standards. As one step in their
efforts, offices and departments responsible for developing,
operating and testing launch vehicles, satellites, the International
Space Station and the like were encouraged one by one to acquire
certification of the ISO 9000 series.

After the certifications were granted to these offices and
departments, NASDA HQ's management departments acquired ISO 9001:
2000. In preparing to introduce the Quality Management System
regulated by the ISO 9001, NASDA's management departments conducted
the job analysis at all of the departments and adopted the "process
approach". The new approach successfully brought management systems
in line with the real processes of their businesses, thereby
improving the transparency and efficiency of their activities. 

Since the management departments acquired ISO 9001 certification, the
establishment of the ISO 9001-based quality system at NASDA has
neared completion. Efforts will continue to be made to improve this
management system. 

    * Description of Certificate
      Date of Certification: March 13, 2003
      Registration body: Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance Limited
                          (LRQA)
      Accreditation bodies: Japan Accreditation Board for Conformity
                            Assessment, and other overseas relevant
                            bodies

List of Departments Granted Third Party Certification of ISO 9000
Series

Department                             Standard       Accredited Date

Tanegashima Space Center, 
Office of Space Transportation Systems ISO9002:1994   Oct. 20, 2000

Office of Space Transportation Systems ISO9001:1994   Aug. 30, 2001

Office of Satellite Technology,     
Research and Applications              ISO9001:1994   Dec. 4, 2001

Kakuda Propulsion Center,       
Office of Space Transportation Systems ISO9002:1994   Mar. 8, 2002

Environmental and Structural Test
Laboratory, Office of Research and     ISO9001:2000   June 12, 2002
Development 

Office of Space Utilization Systems    ISO9001:2000   Nov. 22, 2002

Management Departments in NASDA's 
Headquarters                           ISO9001:2000   Mar. 13, 2002

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NASDA's Facilities Attract Many Visitors during S & T Week
Events held at the facilities enjoyed by children and adults alike

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Every year during the "Science and Technology Week", the week of
April 18, which is designated as a "day for invention" in Japan,
NASDA opens their facilities to the general public. 

This year was no exception, as NASDA provided an opportunity for
people to tour its facilities, which are normally restricted to the
public. The week included many events through which visitors of all
ages could experience the wonders of space. Photos of the events are
presented below. Please join us next year! 

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Front Line of Advanced and Common Technology Research 14

Development and Research of Satellite Propulsion System

Most satellites are equipped with a propulsion system. 
The Purposes are 
1) Orbit Insertion: moving a spacecraft from an initial orbit to a
   mission orbit.
2) Orbit Maintenance: keeping the spacecraft in the desired mission
   orbit.
3) Attitude Control: providing torque to help keep the spacecraft
   pointed in the desired direction.

We will introduce the propulsion system.


Role of the Propulsion System

A satellite's propulsion system comprises thrusters, valves, tanks
and other mechanisms (piping, temperature sensors, pressure sensors,
etc.). The following photos illustrate the TSUBASA (MDS-1) launched
atop the second H-IIA launch vehicle in February 2002. You can easily
pick out the tanks and valves inside the satellite and the
thrusters*1 mounted on the outer panel. Next, we will explain the
role of the propulsion system.



In most cases, the satellite's attitude is controlled using a
reaction wheel*2. Since the reaction wheel is not activated
immediately after launch, thrusters are used to control the attitude. 



Engines are fired to transfer the satellite from the initial orbit to
a desired mission orbit. An orbit change maneuver called an apogee
engine firing (AEF) is well known. This maneuver is transfer from
geostationary transfer orbit to geostationary orbit. The KODAMA
(DRTS) , launched in the fall of 2002, was successfully transferred
to geostationary orbit with a delta velocity of 1.8 kilometers per
second by burning 1.2 tons of propellant. 

 - Continued -

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