Ginga (satellite)
satellite
Ginga (Japanese for 'galaxy', formerly ASTRO-C), was an X-ray astronomy satellite launched from the Kagoshima Space Center on 5 February 1987 using M-3SII launch vehicle. The primary instrument for observations was the Large Area Counter (LAC). Ginga was the third Japanese X-ray astronomy mission, following Hakucho and Tenma (also Hinotori satellite - which preceded Ginga - had X-ray sensors, but it can be seen as a heliophysics rather than X-ray astronomy mission). Ginga reentered the Earth's atmosphere on 1 November 1991.
Instruments
Large Area Proportional Counter (LAC 1.5-37 keV)
All-Sky Monitor (ASM 1-20 keV)
Gamma-ray Burst Detector (GBD 1.5-500 keV)
Highlights
Discovery of transient Black Hole Candidates and study of their spectral evolution.
Discovery of weak transients in the galactic ridge.
Detection of cyclotron features in 3 X-ray pulsars: 4U1538-522, V0332+53, and Cep X-4.
Evidence for emission and absorption Fe feature in Seyfert probing reprocessing by cold matter.
Discovery of intense 6-7 keV iron line emission from the Galactic Center region.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Ginga (satellite)” is satellite. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Ginga and satellite, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “satellite” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jan 14, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1524954. VIAF identifies the subject as 139991348. The Library of Congress control number is nr93022515. None of the 2 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1987 and 1991.
A concise general-reference account can conceal disagreements about scope, terminology or the weight assigned to individual sources. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Ginga (satellite)”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Ginga (satellite) primary sources, Ginga (satellite) archive and Ginga research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Ginga (satellite)”?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Ginga (satellite)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.