 The fifth M-V launches with theASTRO-EII spacecraft. | |
| Function | All-solid smallorbitallaunch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Nissan Motors[1] (-2000) IHI AEROSPACE (-2006)[2] |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Size | |
| Height | 30.8 m (101 ft) |
| Diameter | 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) |
| Mass | 137,500–139,000 kg (303,100–306,400 lb) |
| Stages | 3 or 4 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload tolow Earth orbit | |
| Mass | 1,800 kg (4,000 lb) |
| Payload topolarLEO | |
| Mass | 1,300 kg (2,900 lb) |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Retired |
| Launch sites | Uchinoura M-V |
| Total launches | 7 (M-V: 4,M-V KM: 3) |
| Success(es) | 6 (M-V: 3,M-V KM: 3) |
| Failure | 1 (M-V) |
| First flight | M-V: 10 February 2000 M-V KM: 12 February 1997 |
| Last flight | M-V: 22 September 2006 M-V KM: 9 May 2003 |
| Carries passengers or cargo | HALCA,Nozomi, ASTRO-E,Hayabusa Suzaku,AKARI Hinode |
| First stage – M-14 | |
| Powered by | 1solid |
| Maximum thrust | 3,780.345 kN (849,855 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 246 s (2.41 km/s) |
| Burn time | 46 seconds |
| Propellant | Solid |
| Second stage –M-24 | |
| Powered by | 1solid |
| Maximum thrust | 1,245.287 kN (279,952 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 203 s (1.99 km/s) |
| Burn time | 71 seconds |
| Propellant | Solid |
| Third stage –M-34 | |
| Powered by | 1solid |
| Maximum thrust | 294 kN (66,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 301 s (2.95 km/s) |
| Burn time | 102 seconds |
| Propellant | Solid |
| Fourth stage (M-V KM) –KM-V1 | |
| Powered by | 1solid |
| Maximum thrust | 51.9 kN (11,700 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 298 s (2.92 km/s) |
| Burn time | 73 seconds |
| Propellant | Solid |
TheM-V rocket, also calledM-5 orMu-5, was a Japanesesolid-fuel rocket designed to launchscientificsatellites. It was a member of theMu family ofrockets. TheInstitute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) began developing the M-V in 1990 at a cost of 15 billionyen. It has three stages and is 30.7 m (101 ft) high, 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) indiameter, and weighs about 140,000 kg (310,000 lb). It was capable of launching a satellite weighing 1,800 kg (4,000 lb) into anorbit as high as 250 km (160 mi).
The first M-V rocket launched theHALCAradio astronomy satellite in 1997, and the second theNozomi Mars explorer in July 1998. The third rocket attempted to launch theAstro-EX-ray satellite on 10 February 2000 but failed. ISAS recovered from this setback and launchedHayabusa to25143 Itokawa in 2003. The following M-V launch was the scientificAstro-E2 satellite, a replacement for Astro-E, which took place on 10 July 2005. The final launch was that of theHinode (SOLAR-B) spacecraft, along with theSSSatmicrosat and ananosatellite,HIT-SAT, on 22 September 2006.
| Flight No. | Date and time,UTC | Rocket, configuration | Launch site | Payload | Payload mass | Orbit | Customer | Launch outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-V-1 | 12 February 1997 04:50:00 | M-V | Uchinoura M-V | MUSES-B (HALCA)[3] | Success | |||
| | ||||||||
| M-V-3 | 3 July 1998 18:12:00 | M-V | Uchinoura M-V | PLANET-B (Nozomi) | Success | |||
| | ||||||||
| M-V-4 | 10 February 2000 01:30:00 | M-V | Uchinoura M-V | ASTRO-E | Failure | |||
| Failure of 1st stage engine nozzle caused control system breakdown and under performance.[4][5] Later stages could not compensate for under performance leaving payload in 250 miles (400 km) x 50 miles (80 km) orbit and subsequent reentry.[6] | ||||||||
| M-V-5 | 9 May 2003 04:29:25 | M-V | Uchinoura M-V | MUSES-C (Hayabusa) | Success | |||
| | ||||||||
| M-V-6 | 10 July 2005 03:30:00 | M-V | Uchinoura M-V | ASTRO-E2 (Suzaku) | Success | |||
| | ||||||||
| M-V-8 | 21 February 2006 21:28:00 | M-V | Uchinoura M-V | ASTRO-F (Akari) CUTE-1.7 + APD SSP (solar sail sub payload) | Success | |||
| SSP failed to open completely | ||||||||
| M-V-7 | 22 September 2006 21:36 | M-V | Uchinoura M-V | SOLAR-B (Hinode) HIT-SAT SSSat (solar sail) | Success | |||
| SSSat failed after launch | ||||||||
A follow on to the M-V, called theEpsilon Rocket,[7] features a lower 1.2 tonne LEO payload capability. The development aim is to reduce costs, primarily by using theH-IIA solid rocket booster as the first stage and through shorter launch preparation time. Epsilon launches are intended to cost much less than the US$70 million launch cost of a M-V.[8]
The first launch, of a small scientific satellite SPRINT-A (Hisaki), took place in September 2013. The initial launches will be of a two-stage version,[citation needed] of Epsilon, with up to a 500 kilogram LEO payload capability.[9]
Solid fuel rockets are the design of choice for military applications as they can remain in storage for long periods, and then reliably launch at short notice.
Lawmakers made national security arguments for keeping Japan's solid-fuel rocket technology alive after ISAS was merged intoJAXA, which also has theH-IIA liquid-fuelled rocket, in 2003. The ISAS director of external affairs, Yasunori Matogawa, said, "It seems the hard-line national security proponents in parliament are increasing their influence, and they aren't getting much criticism... I think we’re moving into a very dangerous period. When you consider the current environment and thethreat from North Korea, it's scary".[10]
Toshiyuki Shikata, aTokyo Metropolitan Government adviser and former lieutenant general, claimed that part of the rationale for the fifth M-VHayabusa mission was that the reentry and landing of its return capsule demonstrated "that Japan's ballistic missile capability is credible".[11]
At a technical level the M-V design could be weaponised quickly (as anIntercontinental ballistic missile, since only payload and guidance have to be changed) although this would be politically unlikely.[12] The M-V is comparable in performance to theLGM-118 Peacekeeper ICBM.
119. Japan has the weapons grade plutonium, technology for weaponization, and delivery means in the M-V-5 rocket, indigenous, solid fueled, 1800 kg payload capacity, to go nuclear very rapidly should it choose. This dramatic step, however, would require a complete loss of faith in the American nuclear umbrella
