Japan succeeds in 2nd test flight in shuttle program.

Japan Science Scan, November, 2002

TOKYO, Nov. 5 Kyodo

Japan succeeded in the second test flight of a space shuttle early Tuesday conducted in Christmas Island in the mid-Pacific Ocean island nation of Kiribati, Japanese space officials said.

The National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) said the unmanned jet-powered vehicle successfully completed the landing at an approach angle of 15 degrees -- five times sharper than that of a commercial jet -- after flying at an altitude of 3,000 meters for about 20 minutes.

The vehicle landed in auto-pilot mode assisted by a global positioning system as part of a series of flight tests undertaken jointly by the NASDA and the National Aeronautical Laboratory.

In its first test flight conducted Oct. 18, the vehicle...