ALOS (DAICHI)
ALOS, or Daichi, was a Japanese Earth-observation satellite launched in 2006. It combined optical and radar instruments for mapping, disaster monitoring and land observation, and became especially valuable for producing detailed terrain and deformation datasets.
Object identity
- NORAD ID
- 28931
- COSPAR ID
- 2006-002A
- Operator
- Not listed
- Country
- Not listed
- Launch date
- Not listed
Immediate discovery
Why this satellite matters
ALOS is a good example of combining geometry with timing: precise orbital position and sensor angle are needed to convert raw images into maps whose pixels correspond accurately to places on Earth.
Understanding the mission
Science and engineering ideas
ALOS is a good example of combining geometry with timing: precise orbital position and sensor angle are needed to convert raw images into maps whose pixels correspond accurately to places on Earth.
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.
- ALOS is a good example of combining geometry with timing: precise orbital position and sensor angle are needed to convert raw images into maps whose pixels correspond accurately to places on Earth.
Design
Engineering
ALOS is a good example of combining geometry with timing: precise orbital position and sensor angle are needed to convert raw images into maps whose pixels correspond accurately to places on Earth.
Real orbital values
The mathematics
The current two-line element set reports approximately 14.7022 revolutions per day. Dividing 1,440 minutes by that value gives an estimated orbital period of 97.9 minutes.
Period
97.9 min
Representative speed
27,091 km/h
Representative altitude
667 km
Inclination
98.14°
Launch record
Launch and deployment
ALOS launched on 24 January 2006 aboard an H-IIA rocket from Tanegashima Space Center.
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 ALOS (DAICHI) moving now
Open the live tracker to view its current calculated position, trajectory, orbital information, visibility tools, and Save and Share controls.
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 20, 2026, 9:20 AM UTC
Story review
1970-01-01T00:00:00.000Z