Murakami Hiroshi, Baba Hajime, Barthel Peter, Clements David L, Cohen Martin, Doi Yasuo, Enya Keigo, Figueredo Elysandra, Fujishiro Naofumi, Fujiwara Hideaki, Fujiwara Mikio, Garcia-Lario Pedro, Goto Tomotsugu, Hasegawa Sunao, Hibi Yasunori, Hirao Takanori, Hiromoto Norihisa, Hong Seung Soo, Imai Koji, Ishigaki Miho, Ishiguro Masateru, Ishihara Daisuke, Ita Yoshifusa, Jeong Woong-Seob, Jeong Kyung Sook, Kaneda Hidehiro, Kataza Hirokazu, Kawada Mitsunobu, Kawai Toshihide, Kawamura Akiko, Kessler Martin F, Kester Do, Kii Tsuneo, Kim Dong Chan, Kim Wjung, Kobayashi Hisato, Koo Bon Chul, Kwon Suk Minn, Lee Hyung Mok, Lorente Rosario, Makiuti Sin'itirou, Matsuhara Hideo, Matsumoto Toshio, Matsuo Hiroshi, Matsuura Shuji, Mueller Thomas G, Murakami Noriko, Nagata Hirohisa, Nakagawa Takao, Naoi Takahiro, Narita Masanao, Noda Manabu, Oh Sang Hoon, Ohnishi Akira, Ohyama Youichi, Okada Yoko, Okuda Haruyuki, Oliver Sebastian, Onaka Takashi, Ootsubo Takafumi, Oyabu Shinki, Pak Sojong, Park Yong-Sun, Pearson Chris P, Rowan-Robinson Michael, Saito Toshinobu, Sakon Itsuki, Salama Alberto, Sato Shinji, Savage Richard S, Serjeant Stephen, Shibai Hiroshi, Shirahata Mai, Sohn Jungjoo, Suzuki Toyoaki, Takagi Toshinobu, Takahashi Hidenori, Tanabe Toshihiko, Takeuchi Tsutomu T, Takita Satoshi, Thomson Matthew, Uemizu Kazunori, Ueno Munetaka, Usui Fumihiko, Verdugo Eva, Wada Takehiko, Wang Lingyu, Watabe Toyoki, Watarai Hidenori, White Glenn J, Yamamura Issei, Yamauchi Chisato, Yasuda Akiko
PUBLICATIONS OF THE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN, 59 S369-S376, Oct 10, 2007 Peer-reviewed
AKARI, the first Japanese satellite dedicated to infrared astronomy, was launched on 2006 February 21, and started observations in May of the same year. AKARI has a 68.5 cm cooled telescope, together with two focal-plane instruments, which survey the sky in six wavelength bands from mid- to far-infrared. The instruments also have a capability for imaging and spectroscopy in the wavelength range 2-180 mu m in the pointed observation mode, occasionally inserted into a continuous survey operation. The in-orbit cryogen lifetime is expected to be one and a half years. The All-Sky Survey will cover more than 90% of the whole sky with a higher spatial resolution and a wider wavelength coverage than that of the previous IRAS all-sky survey. Point-source catalogues of the All-Sky Survey will be released to the astronomical community. Pointed observations will be used for deep surveys of selected sky areas and systematic observations of important astronomical targets. These will become an additional future heritage of this mission.