Moog Space and Defense Group provided critical hardware to the Himawari-8 weather satellite, manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MELCO). The launch took place at Tanegashima Space Center, Japan atop a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) H-IIA Heavy-Lift Rocket.

The MHI H-IIA rocket includes thrust vector control servovalves built in Moog's Hiratsuka, Japan facility. This facility also provides roll control thruster valves for the Epsilon rocket that is based on solid rocket technology found on the H-IIA.

The MELCO DS2000 is a fully proven, modular platform with a flexibility to handle a wide array of payload applications. Himawari-8 is the tenth member of the DS2000 family of satellites and includes Moog components for propulsion and solar array control.

Moog latch valves control the flow of propellant in the propulsion system. Twelve bipropellant Moog Reaction Control System (RCS) Engines equipped with Moog thruster valves provide attitude control and station-keeping in orbit.

The Moog Solar Array Drive Assembly (SADA) and Solar Array Drive Electronics (SADE) are critical in positioning the satellite's solar panel towards the Sun.

This launch is the continuation of the Himawari line of weather satellites operated by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Himawari means 'sunflower' in Japanese. Moog hardware was used on the successful Himawari-7 spacecraft also built by MELCO.

Himawari-8 will be placed in geosynchronous orbit capturing earth images over East Asia and Western Pacific regions, contributing to disaster prevention of the area.

Himawari-8/9 carry Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) units comparable to the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) on board America's GOES-R satellite to enable enhanced nowcasting, Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) and climate/environment monitoring.

The satellite will provide further demonstration of the DS2000 platform's well-established high reliability for in-orbit performance. The sister satellite Himawari-9 is planned to launch in 2016.