JAPAN
JAPANESE LAUNCH VEHICLES
JAPANESE LAUNCH VEHICLES
Ø Presentation
Japan's Space Development Program is established by the Space Activities Commission, an advisory
committee to the Prime Minister. Related-space development activities are primarily implemented by
NASDA for practical space application fields and by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
(ISAS) for space science field in cooperation with other organizations.
ROCKET System Corporation is the company responsible for marketing commercial satellite launches on
the upgraded H-2 rocket (H-2A). RSC was established on July 5, 1990:
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to sell the H-2A launch vehicles to NASDA for launching National Missions,
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to sell commercial launch services to customers in the world by the H-2A launch vehicles.
st
Since October 1 , 2003, the fusion of agencies ISA, NAL and NASDA, has to give birth to the new Japanese
space agency JAXA (Japan Aerospace investigation Agency).
SAC
Customers
JAXA
Prime Minister’s Office
Science and
Technology Agency
Ministry of Education,
Science and Culture
Launch
services
NAL
Launch
operation
NASDA
RSC
Manufacturing
launch vehicle H2A
and supporting
technical integration
ISAS
Manufacturers
Ø SAC
: Space Activities Commission
Ø NAL
: National Aerospace Laboratory
Ø NASDA : NAtional Space Development Agency of JAPAN
Ø ISAS
: Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
Ø JAXA
: Japan Aerospace investigation Agency
Ø RSC
: Rocket System Corporation
FIGURE 1: JAPAN LAUNCH SERVICES ORGANIZATION
December 2003
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JAPAN
JAPANESE LAUNCH VEHICLES
Ø ISAS
ISAS has maintained its own stable of orbital and suborbital rockets for science missions since the late
1950s. All solid-fuelled, these have been integrated by ISAS with NISSAN MOTORS as Prime Industrial
Contractor.
ISAS has launched more than twenty scientific satellites since 1970 when the first Japanese satellite was
sent into orbit.
ISAS was established in 1981 as a national interuniversity research institute under the Ministry of
Education by reorganizing the Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science which was a research institute
in the University of Tokyo.
ISAS is responsible for planning and realisation of science-oriented space activities in this country. ISAS
has developed balloons, sounding rockets, satellite launchers and scientific satellites in close
collaboration with the science community of astrophysics, space plasma physics, planetary science,
environmental science and engineering. Graduate education is also one of the major tasks of ISAS.
The scope of this Institute is limited by regulation passed in 1970 to science missions and solid-propellant
vehicles with a maximum base diameter. All ISAS rockets have been integrated with NISSAN MOTORS
as prime Industrial Contractor. The largest sounding rocket, L-3 H, was given a kick stage to create the
L-4 S orbital vehicle as a technological demonstration vehicle for the M-4 S launcher, flying Japan's first
satellite in 1970 after four failed attempts. Other models derived from M-4 S:
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M-3 C, M-3 H, M-3 S and MU-3S2. The model MU-3S2, had launched two HALLEY's Comet probes in
1985.
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M-5 launch vehicle with three solid-propellants stages. M-5 is capable of placing 2.2 t in LEO. First
successful launch took place in February 1997, but the third flight was a failure. ISAS pushed back its
launch schedule in order to make improvements to the M-5.
FIGURE 2: ISAS LAUNCH VEHICLES
December 2002
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JAPAN
JAPANESE LAUNCH VEHICLES
Ø NASDA
st
The National Space Development Agency of JAPAN (NASDA) was established on October 1 , 1969,
under the National Space Development Agency Law, to act as the nucleus for implementing space
development and promoting space utilisation exclusively for peaceful purposes.
NASDA is responsible for the following tasks, based on the Space Development Program in JAPAN
enacted by the Prime Minister:
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development of satellites (including space experiments and space station) and launch vehicles, and
launching and tracking them,
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development of methods, facilities and equipment required for the above.
NASDA provides launch capabilities on-board liquid-propellant powered vehicles. NASDA has developed
five kinds of launch vehicles, N-1, N-2, H-1, H-2 and H-2A. On 31 vehicles (N-1 through H-2) launched
between 1975 and 2000, 27 were successful.
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The N-1/N-2 launchers provided initial experience but were dependent on Mc DONNELL DOUGLAS
DELTA stages, built under a 1969 licence that prohibited putting third parties satellites into orbit
without US approval.
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H-1 introduced MITSUBISHI's cryogenic stage 2, and all-Japanese inertial guidance.
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H-2 completed the transition in 1994 by adopting a large cryogenic first stage and solid-propellant
boosters. Five successful test flights were achieved between 1994 and 1997 but after two consecutive
failures in 1997-1998, NASDA canceled the eighth and final H-2 launch in December 1999.
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H-2A is an upgraded version of H-2 for large payloads as 2 t to 3 t GEO. After two failed tests of the
first-stage LE-7A engine, NASDA redesigned it and decided to simplify the launch vehicle in order to
halve production costs. An H-2A first test vehicle was successfully launched in August 2001. Three
more H-2A were launched from TANEGASHIMA in 2002. The 1st failure of H-2A intervened during the
6th flight, on November 29, 2003.
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NASDA proposed another launcher named J-1. It aimed at meeting the growing demand for launching
smaller satellites into LEO. It was achieved by mating the second and third stages of ISAS MU-3S2
atop the SRB of NASDA-H-2 which was used as first stage. First launch: 12.02.96 (suborbital flight).
As it was very expensive, NASDA decided to retire the J-1 in 2001 and to replace it with the J-1U (also
called J-2 or GX). A group of Japanese companies formed GALAXY EXPRESS, a joint venture which
includes MITSUBISHI Heavy Industries (MHI) and Ishikawajima - Harima Heavy Industries (IHI). The
maiden launch of J-1U is expected in 2006.
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In addition, the research and development of a small-winged recovery plane, called HOPE (H-2
Orbiting Plane), is now abandoned.
FIGURE 3 - NASDA LAUNCH VEHICLES
December 2003
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JAPAN
JAPANESE LAUNCH VEHICLES
Ø Merger plans of space agencies
Following an April 2001 meeting in Tokyo, Japan decided to slowly integrate its three Space Agencies:
NASDA, the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), and the National Aerospace Laboratory
(NAL). The three agencies will be grouped under a restructured and reorganized Ministry of Education,
Culture, Sports, Science & Technology.
The initial phase will extend over the next three years, followed by a review. During the review, steps will
be taken to merge the agencies by the end of the decade.
The move is not only a cost-cutting measure, but an attempt to streamline Japanese space efforts,
eliminate overlap among programs and help Japan to emerge from its recent launch failures. The
streamlining idea behind this merger will most likely phase out the M-5 altogether, starting in mid-decade.
Japan has its heavy.
H-2A for the biggest tasks and is considering financing the J-1U launch vehicle for lighter scientific and
commercial missions.
FIGURE 4 - H-2A LAUNCH VEHICLES FAMILY (MARKETING BY RSC)
1. DATA SOURCE REFERENCES
1
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Jane's Space Directory 2001 - 2002
2
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World Space Systems Briefings - Teal Group - 2002
3
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JAPAN's perspectives for future space transportation system - M. MAITA - AIAA 2001 - 4543
4
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Independance could delay results - K. HIJINO - Financial Times, 9.10.2002
December 2003
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