The H-IIA rocket awaits launch at the Tanegashima Space Center. (Jiji) H-IIA READY FOR SPACE: Japan's Latest Rocket to Be Launched August 25 August 20, 2001 The first of Japan's next-generation H-IIA rockets is scheduled to be launched from the National Space Development Agency's Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu, on August 25, 2001. The large satellite-launch vehicle is mostly Japanese-made and will be the flagship of the country's rocket development program. The design is the result of an all-out development effort incorporating the lessons learned from experiences with the previous-generation H-II rocket. The H-IIA will not be carrying a satellite payload, as this will be a data-gathering experimental flight. Instead, the craft will bear the heavy load of the future of Japan's space development program. Significantly Enhanced Performance The vehicle has a gross weight of 285 metric tons and a diameter of 4 meters. The rocket's length of 53 meters is equivalent to the height of a 17-story building. Although some features, such as the power of its propulsion system, do not differ much from the H-II rocket, other specifications are greatly enhanced. The rocket boasts three distinctive features. First, its structure has been simplified--the number of parts has been reduced by 20 percent from 350,000 to 280,000. The number of welds, which are among the most easily damaged points on a rocket, has been significantly reduced. As a result, the rocket can be assembled more efficiently and the likelihood of failures has been reduced, giving improved reliability. Secondly, the cost has been cut. During development of the previous H-II rocket, NASDA stuck rigidly to the principle of using only Japanese-made parts. With the H-IIA, however, NASDA was prepared to procure materials and parts from abroad providing these were of low cost and high quality, and it also used some mass-produced parts. Because of these measures, the development and launch costs of the H-IIA come to under 8.5 billion yen (68 million U.S. dollars at 125 yen to the dollar), compared with 14.0 to 19.5 billion yen (112 million to 156 million dollars) for the H-II. This is about the same level as the costs of American and European rockets. The third distinctive feature is the H-IIA's flexibility, making it possible to carry satellites of varying sizes. With two large solid-fuel booster rockets attached, it will be able to put a standard 4.5-ton satellite payload into stationary orbit, while with the addition of one liquid-fuel booster, the H-IIA will be able to cope with a 7.5-ton satellite. There is also a plan for a version with two liquid-fuel boosters, which, if realized, will take the rocket's carrying capability up to 9.5 tons. This would be the greatest payload capability of any rocket in the world. One month before the launch date, seven Japanese NASDA astronauts attended a symposium held in Tokyo to publicize Japan's space development activities. They took the opportunity to extend their best wishes and encouragement for the launch. The agency is putting a concerted effort into making a success of the launch. Exceptionally, NASDA's president himself, Shuichiro Yamanouchi, is overseeing the operation directly. Future of Japan's Space Program Rides on Launch Japan started on the development of a rocket for commercial-satellite launches in 1975 with the N-I series, utilizing American technology. However, as these rockets were only capable of carrying payloads of 130 kilograms, parallel development of the N-II was started the following year. The N-II rockets had a payload capability of 350 kilograms. The shift toward a purely domestic rocket began with the H-I, development of which was started in 1986. Many parts of this rocket were designed and produced utilizing Japanese technology, including the second-stage engine and the guidance system.   Your Name What did you think of this article? It was interesting. It was boring. Send this article to a friend The next phase was the H-II, the first "all Japanese" rocket. Development of the H-II proved more difficult than expected. The first launch finally took place two years behind schedule, in 1994. Capable of putting a two-ton satellite into stationary orbit, the H-II was launched successfully five consecutive times, showing both to the people of Japan and the rest of the world that Japanese rockets were reliable. But at the sixth launch, in 1998, the rocket failed to put the satellite it was carrying into orbit because of the failure of the second-stage engine. The seventh launch the following year was also unable to put its satellite payload into orbit, this time as the result of the first-stage engine breaking down. These consecutive failures led to the cancellation of a scheduled eighth launch. It was decided to concentrate the agency's resources on the H-IIA, development of which had been started in 1996. A whole series of projects has been planned on the premise of the success of the H-IIA, among them the replacement of Japan's superannuated Himawari 5 meteorological satellite, the launch of a satellite to circle the moon, an HTV to carry supplies to the international space station, and data-gathering satellites. Hopes to participate in the world commercial-satellite launching business also hang on the success of the H-IIA. The rocket's maiden flight will show us whether Japan can survive in the field of space development. Copyright (c) 2001 Japan Information Network. Edited by Japan Echo Inc. based on domestic Japanese news sources. Articles presented here are offered for reference purposes and do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Japanese Government.