February 13, 2009

GOSAT (IBUKI), launched at 12:54 of January 23, 2009 (JST), is in the Initial Checkout (ICO) stage conducted by JAXA. As a part of this operation, the TANSO-FTS (Fourier Transform Spectrometer) and TANSO-CAI (Cloud Aerosol Imager) on board GOSAT were just activated on February 7, and their first data were acquired. The results are shown on the following JAXA's home page :

http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2009/02/20090209_ibuki_e.html

NIES contributed to this press release by providing the simulation spectra.
After three months of the ICO stage, JAXA, NIES and MOE will cooperate for the initial calibration/validation: evaluation of accuracy and precision of GOSAT products by comparing with ground-based observation data and applying several data correction if necessary.