An X-ray astronomy satellite that was launched earlier this month has made its way to an altitude of around 570 km, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said Thursday.
The satellite, dubbed Suzaku, has already finished extending its telescope and other equipment and is almost ready to begin operations.
The observation of astronomical phenomena is scheduled to start in mid-August, after some fine-tuning, JAXA said.
The satellite was launched with an M-5 rocket July 10 from the Uchinoura Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture.
Armed with good spectroscopic power and a wide energy band, the satellite is designed to investigate high-energy astronomical phenomena such as black holes and supernovas.
Suzaku is scheduled to observe astronomical objects and phenomena in conjunction with U.S. satellite Chandra and European satellite Newton, and to gain a full range of data from them.