SELENE (Selenological and Engineering Explorer) was Japan's
            second lunar probe. It was renamed Kaguya, or Moon Princess,
            after launch as a result of a public poll.
            
            The mission's goal was to orbit the Moon to collect data on the
            origins and geological evolution of the Moon, to study the lunar
            surface environment, and to carry out radio science experiments.
            In addition to the main orbiter, Kaguya, the mission included two
            small spin-stabilized sub-satellites, each weighing about 117
            pounds (53 kilograms). These were the Relay Satellite (Rstar) and
            the VRAD satellite (Vstar). Upon launch, they were renamed Okina
            and Ouna, which mean "honorable elderly man" and "honorable
            elderly woman," respectively.
            
            The probe was launched into a highly elliptical parking orbit of
            about 175 x 144,800 miles (282 × 232,960 kilometers). On Oct. 3,
            2007, Kaguya entered into an initial polar orbit around the Moon
            at about 65 x 7,300 miles (101 × 11,741 kilometers).
            
            The two small satellites, Okina and Ouna, were released Oct. 9 at
            00:36 UT and Oct. 12 at 04:28 UT into corresponding orbits: about
            70 x 1,500 miles (115 × 2,399 kilometers) and 80 x 500 miles (127
            × 795 kilometers).
            
            The orbiter itself attained its operational circular orbit at
            about 60 miles (100 kilometers) by Oct. 19. On Oct. 31, Kaguya's
            two main high definition TV cameras, each a 2.2 megapixel CCD
            HDTV camera, took the first high-definition images of the Moon.
            The fully operational phase of the mission began Dec. 21, 2007,
            following a successful checkout of all the onboard instruments.
            
            By April 9, 2008, using its laser altimeter, had collected enough
            data to construct the topography of the entire lunar surface,
            with data points 10 orders larger than the previous model of the
            lunar surface.
                        
            Kaguya's other achievements included detecting gravity anomalies
            on both the near and the far side of the Moon (based on Doppler
            data from both Kaguya and the Okina satellite) and the first
            optical observation of the permanently shadowed interior of the
            Shackleton Crater.
            
            Kaguya completed its original planned mission by late October
            2008. However, because of a faulty reaction wheel, the extended
            mission was ended early. On Feb. 1, 2009, Kaguya's orbit was
            lowered to approximately 31 miles (50 kilometers). The orbiter
            then impacted the Moon at 18:25 UT June 10, 2009, at 65.5 degrees
            south latitude and 80.4 degrees east longitude near Gill Crater.
            Okina had already impacted the Moon at 10:46 UT Feb. 12, 2009.