Roadside Map Welcomes Visitors to Minamitane Town
A roadside sign shows visitors of Minamitane Town various locations for activities, including the viewing of rocket launches from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Tanegashima Space Center (TNSC). This image was released Feb. 22, 2014.
Mascot Welcomes Visitors to Minamitane Town
A flag welcoming NASA and visitors to Minamitane Town is seen next to bus stops marked with the town's mascot "Chuta-kun,” Feb. 23, 2014, Tanegashima Island, Japan. The Chuta-kun mascot rides a rocket and has guns on the side of his helmet to show the areas history as the site of the first known contact of Europe and the Japanese, in 1543 and the introduction of the gun.
NASA Crew at Global Precipitation Measurement Launch Simulation
Andy Aylward, NASA GPM EGSE, left, Beth Weinsteen, NASA GPM Integration and Testing Team, center, and another GPM team member, talk during the all-day launch simulation for the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory at the Spacecraft Test and Assembly Building 2 (STA2), Feb. 22, 2014, Tanegashima Space Center (TNSC), Tanegashima Island, Japan.
H2A Rocket to Launch NASA GPM Earth Satellite
A Japanese H-2A rocket carrying the NASA-Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory is seen as it rolls out to launch pad 1 of the Tanegashima Space Center, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014.
Japanese H-IIA Rocket Rolls Out
A Japanese H-IIA rocket carrying the NASA-Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory is seen as it rolls out to launch pad 1 of the Tanegashima Space Center, Feb. 27, 2014, Tanegashima, Japan. Once launched, the GPM spacecraft will collect information that unifies data from an international network of existing and future satellites to map global rainfall and snowfall every three hours.
Takesaki Observation Center at Tanegashima Space Center
The Takesaki Observation Center is seen at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Tanegashima Space Center (TNSC) a week ahead of the planned launch of an H-IIA rocket carrying the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory, Feb. 21, 2014, Tanegashima Island, Japan.
H-IIB Rocket Welcomes Visitors to Minamitane Town
A sign with a model of the Japanese H-IIB rocket welcomes visitors to Minamitane Town, one of only a few small towns located outside of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Tanegashima Space Center (TNSC), where the launch of an H-IIA rocket carrying the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory will take place in the next week, Feb. 22, 2014, Tanegashima Island, Japan.
Space Shuttle Topiary Outside Tanegashima Space Center
Shrubs and flowers in the shape of a space shuttle, star and planet are seen just outside the visitor's center of the Tanegashima Space Center (TNSC), Feb. 23, 2014, Tanegashima Island, Japan.
Daruma Doll at GPM Launch Simulation
A daruma doll is seen amongst the NASA GPM Mission launch team in the Spacecraft Test and Assembly Building 2 during the all-day launch simulation for the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014, Tanegashima Space Center, Tanegashima Island, Japan.
Monitoring Progress of GPM Launch Simulation
George Dakermanji, NASA GPM Power, monitors the progress of an all-day launch simulation for the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory at the Spacecraft Test and Assembly Building 2 (STA2), Feb. 22, 2014, Tanegashima Space Center (TNSC), Tanegashima Island, Japan.
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