Japanese Space Program

in beginn 2000 at NASDA
had someone Idea to build a cheap Launch rocket J-1A build from existing parts

2001.
they setting up the Galaxy Express Corporation (GALEX)
A company for development and marketing of the new rocket.
planned was the first launch in 2004 from Tanegashima.

2003
NASDA & NAL becomes JAXA
J-1A is relabeled GX
first stage a U.S. Atlas III tanks with Russian NK-33 engine
second stage with Lox and liquefied natural gas engine
development and build by JAXA
with launch cost 45 Mio US Dollar and payload of 3500 kg
later they change first stage on RD-180 engine, payload up to 4400 kg.
2005
The program has problem
Lockheed Martin decide to stop the Atlas III production.
GALEX switch on Atlas V CCB
the second stage has to redesign for new conditions
First launch date goes to 2012 at Vandenberg Air Force Base
2007
the program run in serious problems in December
The Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported that the GX program
was subjected to a thorough review because cost overrun
JAXA demand for Fiscal 2008 budget, 15 billion yen for GX
get only 5,6 billion yen because of Yomiuri Shimbun report.
2008
the Space Development Committee, is overseeing the project, there considering its cancellation.
2009
the Japanese Government Administration Reform Committee recommended
that funding for the second-stage engine to be stop.[5]
then Japanese government cancel the GX project in December
2010
Galaxy Express Corporation is disband in January
 
Hi,

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1996/1996%20-%202462.html?search=NIPPON%20H2-A
 

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the upgrade from H-2
the H-2 was Develop with only Japanese space technology.
it's LE-7 Lox/LH2 engine a copy of SSME, became a nightmare for NASDA (JAXA)
the engine fail during burn test in one case a worker died in an accidental explosion.
in 1994 the LE-7 was declared ready for H-2
from 1994 to 1999 NASDA launch 8 H-2 but not with expected success:

hampered by constraints of laborunion Japanese Fishermen to launch only 4x H-2 per year
too expensive compared to international competitors like Ariane.
too complex technology to handle, the last 2 H-2 launch were failures because LE-7
so decision for H-2A was made: redesigned to improve reliability and minimize costs.

the Solid Booster replace smaller better compatible for Mission
SRB-A 2-4 from Nissan but smaller as SRB from H-2
and additional
SSB 2-4 Castor 4AXL as Solid strap-on Boosters

The LE-7A is an upgraded model from the problematic LE-7 engine
reducing or the amount of required welding, Wat was its Achilles heel
redesigned fuel inducer and his turbopump.
new designed engine nozzle

first launch H-2A happens on 29 August 2001
again hampered by constraints of laborunion Japanese Fishermen to launch only 4x H-2 per year
on 23 November 2003 launch F6 is failure, one of SRB-A not separate from corestage
it take almost 2 years to fix the problem with SRB holders

Original was planned H-2A with 2 liquid Booster on base of Corestage but with 2 LE-7 engine
this plans were abandoned in favored for H-2B
with increase diameter from 4 to 5,2 meter and 2 LE-7 engine
the H-2B first launch was the HTV to ISS.
 
I think the goal with the H-2B is to bring the cost down. This is an expensive rocket for them.
 
On a side note, the third H2-B is due to be launched this Friday night (11:18 a.m Saturday morning, July 21st, Japan Standard Time):
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120718004262.htm

Payload is a Kounotori [HTV] resupply vehicle (Kounotori-3) bound for the ISS.
 
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120721002739.htm

The H-2B, which is designed to be launched once a year, is 56.6 meters high and weighs 531 tons, making it the largest rocket in the history of Japanese space development.

The cargo vehicle, weighing in at 4.6 tons, is carrying such supplies as food and other daily necessities, a water tank for feeding killifish and a device for releasing small satellites into space, the space exploration agency said.

The H-2B was jointly developed by JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy for the purpose of carrying the Kounotori, which has a payload capacity of 16.5 tons. The rocket is twice as effective as H-2A rockets at launching satellites into orbit, JAXA said.

JAXA plans to develop a "homing version" of the Kounotori that will be used to return ISS equipment to Earth, JAXA officials said.

Like the H-2A, the country's mainstay rocket, the H-2B's first and second components are propelled through the reaction of liquefied hydrogen and liquefied oxygen.

Following the decommissioning last year of U.S. space shuttles, the Kounotori has been gaining international attention as a means of transporting large payloads into space, JAXA said.
Click to expand...

The successful launch of an H-2B rocket Saturday boosted the combined success rate of H-2A and H-2B rockets to 95.8 percent, indicating the nation's satellite launch technology is now set to take off.

Future launches of the domestically produced rockets will be handled by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., the rockets' manufacturer, as opposed to previous launches managed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The nation is now set to become a major player in the field of commercial satellite launches.

With a current lineup of its core H-2A product and the latest H-2B, MHI will aim to win orders for commercial launches of foreign satellites. However, competition is tough in the market, particularly with foreign rivals....


....So far, MHI has won only one order, to launch a South Korean satellite with the H-2A rocket in May. The company still mainly relies on the Japanese government for launch orders....
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Something that puzzle me in the history of space flight is the switch to LOX/LH2 engines in the 70's - LE-7 and Vulcain, SSME and RS-68 later. Without blaming the shuttle for everything-that-gone-wrong-with-the-space-program, was the SSME the reason for that ?
I mean, LH2 is good for upper stages, but unless you have the Aerojet M-1, kerosene sounds better for first stages.
 
Archibald said:
Something that puzzle me in the history of space flight is the switch to LOX/LH2 engines in the 70's - LE-7 and Vulcain, SSME and RS-68 later. Without blaming the shuttle for everything-that-gone-wrong-with-the-space-program, was the SSME the reason for that ?
I mean, LH2 is good for upper stages, but unless you have the Aerojet M-1, kerosene sounds better for first stages.
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they switch to LOX/LH2 engines, but Lox/kerosine in first stage was replace by cheaper solid booster, see Shuttle, Ariane 5 or here on H-2.
Japan made switch from N-1/H-1 to H-2 because for license reasons, because the N-1/2 and H-1 were Delta 1000 series clone

Shuttle and Ariane 5 are special case:
Shuttle needed reusable compact high thrust engine.
Ariane 5 had to carry a 20 ton mini shuttle or launch communication satellite into GEO with low cost
same goes for H-1/2 it had to carry also a mini shuttle to Freedom space station

A kickstart with cheap solid booster and then fly rest on LOX/LH2 engines is a very good solution on that mission profile
 
As we all know, the Japanese manned space program (such as it was) focused on the HOPE-X spaceplane and really never went anywhere. It seems that NASDA eventually came to understand that their approach was hopeless (ahem) around 2001. From about September of that year until their transformation into JAXA they made some attempt to push a remarkably sober-looking spaceship that was something like a Soyuz built with Apollo hardware, with a few interesting twists thrown in.

Unfortunately Fuji, as it was called, disappeared down the memory hole when JAXA was formed and was never heard of again. Information about is extremely scarce, and largely consists of a few pictures and a press release from NASDA which can be found in various translations around the web. So imagine my delight when I came across what appears to be a copy of a Japanese language executive summary of their proposal in the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine, and furthermore that Google Translate could render into reasonably understandable English (barring an insistence that one of its authors is named "Righteousness Far Clams").

If you're interested, you can see the original document here: http://web.archive.org/web/20040603201811/http://giken.tksc.nasda.go.jp/Group/sentan/mission/2/index.html

...and the Google Translate edition here: http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fweb.archive.org%2Fweb%2F20040603201811%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fgiken.tksc.nasda.go.jp%2FGroup%2Fsentan%2Fmission%2F2%2Findex.html

(I do apologize for the horrible-ness of that last link)

If you'd like an executive summary of the executive summary, I've just finished putting it all together with the other hints and allegations about it that I've heard over the years and sticking it up on my blog: https://falsesteps.wordpress.com/2012/10/10/fuji-bringing-the-mountain-to-the-masses/
 

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Very interesting. Something I'd like to know is whether a capsule alternative was ever considered for HOPE in the first place (circa 1985).
If we compare with ESA: before Hermes were the Solaris and Minos reentry capsules; near the end was Bae Multirole recovery capsule (1988).
 
On a tangent: Mitsubishi Electric unveils new complex for construction of satellites (Asahi Shimbun)

KAMAKURA, Kanagawa Prefecture--Mitsubishi Electric Corp. unveiled its new 3 billion yen ($30 million) facility for the construction of satellites at its Kamakura Works here on April 12.

Scheduled to be fully operational in late May, the satellite construction complex is expected to double Mitsubishi Electric's combined production capacity to eight units a year as it expects to win more orders from overseas.

"We plan to raise sales of the space business to 150 billion yen in 2020 from the current 70 billion yen by winning two orders from overseas annually," said Masamitsu Okamura, who heads the Kamakura Works.

The six-story facility, with a total floor space of 7,817 square meters, is capable of producing four units simultaneously, according to the company.

The heart of the complex is the "clean room," a section about 30 meters square and 19 meters tall, where temperature and humidity is controlled and fine dust is shut out.

Mitsubishi Electric is the nation's leader in the production of satellites.

The domestic market for satellites--four to five units a year--is dominated by Mitsubishi Electric and NEC Corp.

Mitsubishi Electric became the first Japanese manufacturer to build a commercial satellite for a foreign client after receiving an order from a Singaporean business in 2008.

The global market for satellites is estimated at around 1 trillion yen annually. The sum is the equivalent of 20 to 25 satellites.


By TAKASHI KAMIGURI/ Staff Writer
Click to expand...
 
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/epsilon/sprinta/130914launch/#.UjTMRtKsjAk


Japan has launched a new rocket that it hopes will be a less expensive and more efficient way of sending satellites into space.The three-stage, solid fuel Epsilon lifted off successfully Saturday from a space center in southern Japan.The Epsilon was carrying the SPRINT A, the first space telescope designed for remote observation of other planets.Japan hopes the rocket, launched with conventional laptop computers in a pared-down command center, will become competitive in the global space business.The French news agency, AFP, reports only eight workers were assigned to the blastoff operation.Lift-off had originally been scheduled for two weeks ago, but the attempt was suspended with just 19 seconds to go due to a computer glitch.
 

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What's the deal with the black smoke there at the beginning? Solid gas generator? ???
 
Orionblamblam said:
The fact is probably lost on nobody that what Japan just demonstrated is a pretty dandy ICBM. Solid propellant, fast-reacting, minimal crew, decent throw weight.
Click to expand...
Just? Epsilon's predecessor already fit that description very well - pretty much a Peacekeeper.
 
Trident said:
Orionblamblam said:
The fact is probably lost on nobody that what Japan just demonstrated is a pretty dandy ICBM. Solid propellant, fast-reacting, minimal crew, decent throw weight.
Click to expand...
Just? Epsilon's predecessor already fit that description very well - pretty much a Peacekeeper.
Click to expand...

That's the Mu-V missile and yes it look like MX-Peacekeeper, it dam close copy of it, only bigger !
Mu-V launch mass of 139,000 kg vs 96,700 kg for MX.

some time ago there were japanese news report linking the Mu-V program for possibly use for a Japanese Atomic Weapon.
but it unclear to me if, this was true or attempt to destabilize then Japanese government by disinformation.
i got only third hand information about this.
 
sferrin said:
What's the deal with the black smoke there at the beginning? Solid gas generator? ???
Click to expand...
The black smoke at the time of rocket fire is the injection smoke of the strap on booster used for the postural stabilization of a rocket.
I want to say that Epsilon is only a commertial rocket. Far from ICBM/IRBM/SLBM. :D
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfAGXDHun7o
 
Interesting concept, "Gravity" came up my mind at once, too ! ;)
How would the orbit and flightpath of this satellite be effected, if it catches a sizeable piece
of junk ? Probably it would need considerably more powerful engines andmore fuel,than a
standard satellite of that weight?
 
Well, a solar sail, which is hit by a piece of debris or a meteor, probably will just suffer a whole, relative
to the size of that piece. But the intention of that net is, to catch that piece and so, I think, the kinetic
energy would have to be compensated for by the satellite, Quite a task, if it is a larger piece !
 
Surely the key here is the inertia of the junk versus the inertia of the satellite and net. This can be managed by matching velocities, i.e. this would work best when targeted against specific pieces of junk, with known velocities. Even LEO is too big a volume to just go randomly trolling for junk.
 

One giant leap for Pocari Sweat--sports drink set for 2015 moon landing

May 16, 2014

By TOMOYUKI IZAWA/ Staff Writer


When future astronauts walk on the moon it won't be Tang they will be drinking to quench their lunar thirsts, if the makers of Pocari Sweat have anything to say about it.

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. announced May 15 that its popular sports drink with the unusual name will be hitching a ride on a rocket bound for the moon in October 2015.

Otsuka Pharmaceutical's Pocari Sweat division came up with the idea after they heard reports by U.S. scientists last year claiming that the moon likely has sources of water.

A canister of powdered Pocari Sweat concentrate made to resemble a can of the sports drink sold in vending machines will be left on the lunar surface, and all the future Neil Armstrongs have to do is add water, according to company officials.

The canister will be made of titanium to withstand the extreme temperatures of the lunar surface, which can hit 110 degrees during the day and plummet as low as minus 180 degrees at night. A plaque with the hopes and wishes of 38,000 children engraved on it will accompany the canister of Pocari Sweat.

The rocket, sponsored by a private company, will be launched from Florida and make the 384,400-kilometer trip to the moon in about four and a half days. A lunar lander will transport the canister to the moon's surface.

"We want our use of the moon to set an example," said an Otsuka Pharmaceutical official, referring to the fact there are no laws or regulations regarding the use of the lunar surface. "We will not damage the lunar environment."

Otsuka Pharmaceutical has been a forerunner in the field of space advertising, shooting the world's first "space commercial" at the International Space Station in 2001.


By TOMOYUKI IZAWA/ Staff Writer​
Click to expand...


EDIT:
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88q3ZoYUKEg


www.dvice.com

SYFY Official Site

Watch full episodes and exclusive videos for SYFY shows.
www.dvice.com www.dvice.com
 
I posted a bunch of slides over on NASASpaceflight.com from a recent presentation about Japanese Mars plans. You can find them in the science section, or search for "Japanese" and "MEPAG" (Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group).
 
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001534225

11:22 pm, September 08, 2014


The Yomiuri Shimbun

The Defense Ministry has come up with a basic plan for the use of space for national security purposes that features the establishment of a special unit tasked with monitoring space debris and keeping tabs on other countries’ antisatellite weapons.

After the government incorporated “Use of Outer Space” into its National Security Strategy, compiled late last year, the ministry began revising the Basic Guidelines for Space Development and Use of Space that were compiled in 2009.

Under the new policy, unveiled to the Liberal Democratic Party’s National Defense Division on Thursday, the ministry stressed the importance of a mission to keep track of space debris, such as fragments of satellites and rockets no longer in use, to protect communications satellites and other devices directly related to Self-Defense Forces activities.

As collisions with space debris could cause serious damage to satellites, the ministry plans to launch a unit within the ministry or the SDF to work closely with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), which currently monitors space debris with a radar system deployed in Okayama Prefecture, as well as with U.S. forces.

The ministry also plans to test infrared sensors for the first time in space to detect signs of ballistic missile launches by North Korea. With the sensors to be installed on a cutting-edge optical satellite, the test is intended to check the sensor’s ability to detect the heat from missile launches.
Click to expand...
 

[snip]
Govt eyes development of expendable satellite

The government will start full-fledged discussions in next fiscal year on the development of an expendable small observation satellite, which could be launched immediately in such eventualities as a natural disaster or a military emergency, it has been learned.

The new satellite could be used for rescue and information-gathering activities, according to government sources.

The envisaged satellite is referred to as an operationally responsive small satellite. Its development is included as a subject for discussion in a draft of the Basic Plan on Space Policy, which was released in autumn by the government’s Committee on National Space Policy.

A preassembled satellite, measuring 70 centimeters in length, width and height, would be launched with a camera and other equipment in case of emergency. It weighs from 100 kilograms to 150 kilograms.

The satellite would fly at a relatively low altitude of 200 kilometers to 300 kilometers, half that of an ordinary observation satellite, to observe a targeted area in detail. The satellite would burn up upon reentering the atmosphere about a week after launch.

The government plans to establish a working group jointly with the Cabinet Office, the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry and the Defense Ministry.

Currently, Japan possesses the Daichi-2 Earth observation satellite and information-gathering satellites, but does not have enough satellites to observe specific areas thoroughly. The government will discuss using expendable small satellites to cover the shortage.
Click to expand...
 

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Japanese team wins 'milestone award' for lunar rover development


January 28, 2015


By RYUTA KOIKE/ Staff Writer



A Japanese private-sector team was one of five entries to receive a special prize to develop an unmanned lunar rover by sponsor Google Inc.

The Hakuto team, the lone Japanese entry, announced Jan. 27 that it received the "milestone award" for $500,000 (60 million yen) in the multimillion-dollar Google Lunar XPRIZE competition.

The funds will go toward further developing and refining the rover, which is required to be launched to the moon by the end of 2016.

The Hakuto lunar rover is being developed by a team led by Kazuya Yoshida, a professor of aerospace engineering at Tohoku University who helped create the Hayabusa asteroid probe.

The team of researchers and venture-capital entrepreneurs earned the milestone award after the Hakuto rover passed mobility tests held between November and December.

The milestone awards are part of $30 million in total prize money being offered by Google.

Eighteen teams from various nations are taking part in the competition.

Each team must develop its rover for launch by the end of 2016. Once the rover lands on the lunar surface, it must travel more than 500 meters and transmit video images back to Earth.



By RYUTA KOIKE/ Staff Writer​
Click to expand...


Earlier story:
Japan XPRIZE hopefuls take lunar rover on 'moon run' in Hamamatsu dunes

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlMOR7IHK4o
 
Apparently the work on a follow-on suborbital rocket to previous RVT-9 VTOL rocket work is moving along well. Recently had 100 firings of their new LOx/LH2 engine without overhaul.

Apparently the ISAS Inatani lab is now confident enough in their work to start tweeting about it too.

http://twitter.com/spacelark_jaxa


It just might be be a mockingbird/bricklifter class SSTO machine, though lacking sufficient reentry heat shielding. Inatani seems confident they will complete the new vehicle, which ought to provide sufficient experience, along with SpaceX's first stage landing success, to get JAXA off its ass to build a true bricklifter class SSTO. Japan is getting antsy about assured space access, along with the above mentioned operationally responsive satellite work needing a matching launcher. It would be kinda funny that "son of DC-X" came from the other side of the pacific, considering the Clipper name heritage.
 
Hi! Japanese next rocket.

静止軌道 : Stationary orbit, 新型の第１段エンジン : Newly designed first stage engine(2 pattern, 2 engines and 3 engines), メートル : m, トン : ton, 補助ロケット(SRB) : Solid Rocket Booster.
 

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H-3 is basically H-2 using modern components. Many of the key parts for H-2 are approaching end of life by their respective manufacturers. Keeping the gravy train running for an all domestic medium lift launcher.



Still, they should be pouring more money into RVT-9 and it follow-on, because SpaceX is going to put a serious dent in commercial launches. H-3 needs commercial income, but if domestic commercial payloads shift abroad, there may not be enough launches to reduce costs in an appreciable amount.
 
A couple of old but still relevant articles from last year:

http://aviationweek.com/space/l-band-sar-satellite-may-help-jaxa-s-new-military-job

http://spacenews.com/41944military-efforts-help-drive-proposed-spending-boost-in-japan/
 
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/sci_tech/technology/AJ201505210059
 
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/sci_tech/technology/AJ201506260053
 
astrohsatell.jpg

ORIGINAL CAPTION: The ASTRO-H satellite on 27 November 2015. Credit: JAXA

http://phys.org/news/2016-01-astro-h-satellite-ready.html
 

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