Kibo Robot Arm CubeSat Deployment

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has announced the launch of five amateur radio satellites on two launches taking place in May and July.

The first H-IIA launch takes place on May 17, 1639-1642 UT and will carry the amateur radio satellite HORYU-2

The second launch on July 21, 0218 UT of the HTV3 will deliver the JEM-Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) to the International Space Station (ISS).

J-SSOD will enable small satellites to be deployed from the ISS using the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) robot arm.

The Japanese amateur radio satellites WE-WISH and FITSAT-1, along with San Jose State University’s TechEdSat and the Vietnamese F-1 will also be delivered to the ISS on this launch and it is planned they will be deployed from the ISS on September 20.

JAXA press releases:
http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2012/03/20120321_h2af21_e.html
http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2012/03/20120321_h2bf3_e.html

Thanks to Masahiro Arai JN1GKZ for this information.