| SPACE TRAVEL | SPACE DAILY | SPACE WAR | TERRA DAILY | MARS DAILY | SPACE MART | GPS DAILY | ENERGY DAILY |
 |
Tokyo - August 20, 2001 Japan's National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) will this weekend attempt to launch its first improved H2A launch vehicle from its main launch pad located on the southern island of Tanegashima. Launch is currently scheduled for 1pm JST (16:00 GMT) Saturday August 25. The launch window is a generous five hours which gives nervous space officials much needed time to correct any last minute problems. Following years of problems with both launch vehicles and satellites officials at Japan's government funded space program must deliver this time round or face an uncertain future of government and media scrutiny. According to NASDA documents, the new H2A rocket and its future family of launch vehicles is designed to meet diversifying launch demands in the 21st century with lower cost and high degree of reliability, by making the best use of H-II launch vehicle technology. The H2A launch vehicle family consists of a standard vehicle and an augmented vehicle. The standard vehicle has the same 4-ton GEO class launch capability as H-II, while the augmented vehicle will be able to launch a 7-ton-class payload to GEO. Mr. Atsutaro Watanabe H2A Project Manager states that, the H2A family will enable us to carry out various mission demands in the early 21st century. However, the H2A is not an ultimate space transportation system. Active space utilization will give rise to an expansion of demand. with the H2A as an important step to the possibility of further development. From top to bottom the new H2A configuration employs improved systems including the LE-5B second stage engine that can provide 137kN (14 tons) of thrust - an of 13% over its predecessor increase in thrust. On the primary first stage, the LE-7A provide 1100kN (112 tons) of thrust - only a 2% increase - but with a vastly simplified manufacturing process than the problem plagued LE-7. The main performance improvement on the first stage will be with the strap on solid rocket boosters - the SRB-As - that use a polybutadiene composite solid propellant, with each SRB-A providing 2250kN (230 tons) of thrust in vacuum - an increase of 10% from the original H2 SRBs. For the augmented design, NASDA plans to employ an additional LE-7A engines mounted to the sides of the first stage - creating a design of similar appearance to Europe's Ariane 5. Related Links Tanegashima Web Cam H2A WebCast - Active Aug 25 NASDA SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express
Japan Tests Reusable Rocket Vehicle Test
Tokyo - August 8, 2001ISAS has conducted second flight test campaign of reusable rocket vehicle test (RVT) since 9 to 26 June at ISAS's Noshiro Testing Center in the northern part of Japan main island.
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
