A launch site of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), founded in 1962. It is located in Uchinoura on the east of Ohsumi Peninsula, Kagoshima Prefecture, and was originally known as Kagoshima Space Centre. It was re-named in October 2003 when JAXA came into being. USC launches sounding rockets and scientific satellites and also manages tracking and data. More than 400 small and large rockets and about 30 satellites and space explorers launched from the Uchinoura Space Centre, including Japan’s first satellite Ohsumi, Akebono, Yohkoh, Geotail, Nozomi, Hayabusa, and Hisaki.