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AJISAI (EGS)

Ajisai is a Japanese geodetic satellite launched in 1986. Covered with laser retroreflectors and optical reflectors, it allows ground stations to bounce laser pulses off the spacecraft and measure the round-trip travel time with great precision.

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Object identity

NORAD ID
16908
COSPAR ID
1986-061A
Operator
Not listed
Country
Not listed
Launch date
Not listed

Immediate discovery

Why this satellite matters

Its core equation is beautifully simple: distance is approximately one-half the speed of light multiplied by the measured round-trip time. Extremely precise timing turns that simple relationship into geodesy.

Understanding the mission

Science and engineering ideas

Its core equation is beautifully simple: distance is approximately one-half the speed of light multiplied by the measured round-trip time. Extremely precise timing turns that simple relationship into geodesy.

Mission

Mission and purpose

The current public orbital catalog identifies this object, but verified mission-specific information may be limited. TransitSatellite will expand this page when authoritative information is available.

  • Its core equation is beautifully simple: distance is approximately one-half the speed of light multiplied by the measured round-trip time. Extremely precise timing turns that simple relationship into geodesy.

Design

Engineering

Its core equation is beautifully simple: distance is approximately one-half the speed of light multiplied by the measured round-trip time. Extremely precise timing turns that simple relationship into geodesy.

Real orbital values

The mathematics

The current two-line element set reports approximately 12.4452 revolutions per day. Dividing 1,440 minutes by that value gives an estimated orbital period of 115.7 minutes.

Period

115.7 min

Representative speed

25,627 km/h

Representative altitude

1,495 km

Inclination

50.01°

These are representative calculations derived from current orbital elements, not fixed physical specifications. Altitude and speed change around an elliptical orbit, and predictions change as new orbital elements are published.

Launch record

Launch and deployment

Ajisai launched on 12 August 1986 aboard Japan's H-I rocket from Tanegashima Space Center.

TransitSatellite does not estimate historical launch weather. Temperature, clouds, wind, holds, and scrub reasons will appear only when supported by traceable historical sources.

Orbit

LEO orbit explained

Low Earth orbit is the region closest to Earth used by most crewed spacecraft, many science missions, Earth-observation satellites, and large constellations. Objects move quickly and commonly complete an orbit in roughly 90 to 130 minutes.

LEO can provide detailed Earth views, lower communications delay, and easier access than higher orbits, but it covers less area per spacecraft and is more affected by atmospheric drag.

Live TransitSatellite experience

See AJISAI (EGS) moving now

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Learning

Questions to explore

  • What can an orbit tell us before the mission is fully identified?
  • Why are stable catalog identifiers important?

Evidence

Sources and data notes

Current identity and orbital elements come from CelesTrak’s public GP data. Calculated orbit values are derived from the current TLE and may change after catalog updates. Mission-history claims are added separately and require authoritative sources.

Catalog updated

Sep 17, 2026, 4:03 PM UTC

Story review

1970-01-01T00:00:00.000Z