IGS 1B

Description

IGS 1B (Information Gathering Satellite 1B) and IGS 1A are two Japanese reconnaissance satellites that were launched by a H-2A rocket from Tanegashima Space Center at 01:27 UT on 28 March 2003. They may be tasked to watch for nuclear explosions and missile launches in nearby countries, in addition to global natural disasters and hurricanes. As such, according to the Japanese Defence Ministry, the launch is not in violation of the Japan-N. Korea declaration of September 2002. One of the two spacecraft uses optical cameras with a resolution of one meter; the other uses synthetic aperture radar to provide images at a resolution of a few meters. No information is available as to which satellite carries which instrument.