The launch of the Japanese National Space Development Agency's Comets communications and broadcasting engineering satellite aboard an H2 booster has been delayed by six months to January-February 1998.
This will allow more time to assess the cause of the failure in June of the Adeos Earth observation satellite while in orbit.
Japan's first satellite launch outside the previously allowable windows of January-February and August-September dates will take place on 1 November with the launch of the NASA/Japanese Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite and Japan's Engineering Test Satellite 7.
Source: Flight International
