M-V

M-V

The third M-V launches with the ASTRO-E spacecraft.
Function	All-solid small orbital launch vehicle
Manufacturer	Nissan Motors (-2000) IHI AEROSPACE (-2006)[1]
Country of origin	Japan
Size
Height	30.8 m (101 ft)
Diameter	2.5 m (8.2 ft)
Mass	137,500 - 139,000 kg (303,100 - 306,000 lb)
Stages	3 or 4
Capacity
Payload to LEO	1,800 kg (3,900 lb)
Payload to Polar LEO	1,300 kg (2,800 lb)
Launch history
Status	Retired
Launch sites	Kagoshima
Total launches	7 (M-V: 4, M-V KM: 3)
Successes	6 (M-V: 3, M-V KM: 3)
Failures	1 (M-V)
Maiden 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
Notable payloads	HALCA, Nozomi, ASTRO-E, Hayabusa Suzaku, AKARI Hinode
First stage - M-14
Engines	1 Solid
Thrust	3,780.345 kN (849,855 lbf)
Specific impulse	246 sec
Burn time	46 seconds
Fuel	Solid
Second stage - M-24
Engines	1 Solid
Thrust	1,245.287 kN (279,952 lbf)
Specific impulse	203 sec
Burn time	71 seconds
Fuel	Solid
Third stage - M-34
Engines	1 Solid
Thrust	294 kN (66,093 lbf)
Specific impulse	301 sec
Burn time	102 seconds
Fuel	Solid
Fourth stage - KM-V1
Engines	1 Solid
Thrust	51.9 kN (11,668 lbf)
Specific impulse	298 sec
Burn time	73 seconds
Fuel	Solid

M-V rocket with the ASTRO-E satellite (Febr. 2000)

The M-V rocket, also called M-5 or Mu-5, was a Japanese solid-fuel rocket designed to launch scientific satellites. It was a member of the Mu family of rockets. The Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) began developing the M-V in 1990 at a cost of 15 billion yen. It has three stages and is 30.7 meters high, 2.5 meters in diameter, and weighs about 140 tonnes (310,000 pounds). It was capable of launching a satellite weighing 1.8 tonnes (2 short tons) into an orbit as high as 250 km (160 mi).

The first M-V rocket launched the HALCA radio astronomy satellite in 1997, and the second the Nozomi Mars explorer in July 1998. The third rocket attempted to launch the Astro-E X-ray satellite on February 10, 2000 but failed.

ISAS recovered from this setback and launched Hayabusa to 25143 Itokawa in 2003.

The following M-V launch was the scientific Astro-E2 satellite, a replacement for Astro-E, which took place on July 10, 2005.

The final launch was that of the Hinode (SOLAR-B) spacecraft, along with the SSSat microsat and a nanosatellite, HIT-SAT, on 22 September 2006.

National security considerations

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 into the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, which also has the H-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 the threat from North Korea, it’s scary."^[2]

Toshiyuki Shikata, a government adviser and former lieutenant general, indicated that part of the rationale for the fifth M-V Hayabusa mission was that the reentry and landing of its return capsule demonstrated "that Japan's ballistic missile capability is credible."^[3]

The M-V design could be weaponised quickly^[4] although this would be politically difficult.^[5]

M-V flights

Date (UTC)	Flight	Payload	Result
February 12, 1997 04:50:00	M-V-1	Muses B (HALCA)	Success
July 3, 1998 18:12:00	M-V-3	Planet B (Nozomi)	Success
February 10, 2000 01:30:00	M-V-4	ASTRO-E	Failure
May 9, 2003 04:29:25	M-V-5	Muses C (Hayabusa)	Success
July 10, 2005 03:30:00	M-V-6	ASTRO-E2 (Suzaku)	Success
February 21, 2006 21:28:00	M-V-8	ASTRO-F (Akari) CUTE-1.7-APD SSP (solar sail sub payload)	Success SSP failed to open completely
September 22, 2006 21:36	M-V-7	Solar-B (Hinode) HIT-SAT SSSAT (solar sail)	Success SSSat failed after launch

Following program

A follow on to the M-V is being developed, called the Epsilon Rocket^[6] (formerly Advanced Solid Rocket), with a lower 1.2 tonne LEO payload capability. The development aim is to reduce costs, primarily by using the H-IIA solid rocket booster as the first stage and through shorter launch preparation time.^[7][8][9]

Comparable solid fuel rockets

Main article: Comparison of solid-fuelled orbital launch systems

• Athena II
• Epsilon
• Minotaur IV
• Taurus
• Vega

References

1. ^ "Projects&Products". IHI AEROSPACE. http://www.ihi.co.jp/ia/en/product/rocket.html. Retrieved 2011-03-08. 
2. ^ Karl Schoenberger (July 11, 2003). "Japan ponders nuclear weapons". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on June 25, 2004. http://web.archive.org/web/20040625104149/http://www.freep.com/news/nw/djapan11_20030711.htm. 
3. ^ Chester Dawson (28 October 2011). "In Japan, Provocative Case for Staying Nuclear". Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203658804576638392537430156.html. Retrieved 13 November 2011. 
4. ^ Matsuura, Shinya (2009-08-28). "政治の目指す“日本版NASA”の落とし穴 [The Trap Hole in the Government-Driven "Japanese Version of NASA"]" (in Japanese). 松浦晋也の「宇宙開発を読む」. Nikkei BP. p. 5. http://www.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/column/20090828/177228/. Retrieved 2010-06-30. 
5. ^ William E. Rapp (January 2004). Paths Diverging? The Next Decade in the US-Japan Security Alliance. Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College. pp. 82. http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pdffiles/PUB367.pdf#page=88. 
6. ^ "Epsilon launch vehicle". JAXA. http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/rockets/epsilon/index_e.html. Retrieved 2010-04-01. 
7. ^ Yasuhiro Morita, Takayuki Imoto, Hiroto Habu, Hirohito Ohtsuka, Keiichi Hori, Takemasa Koreki, Apollo Fukuchi, Yasuyuki Uekusa, Ryojiro Akiba (2009-07-10). Advanced Solid Rocket Launcher and its Evolution. 27th International Symposium on Space Technology and Science. http://www.senkyo.co.jp/ists2009/papers/html/pdf/2009-g-18.pdf. Retrieved 2009-09-20 ^{[dead link]}
8. ^ Kazuyuki Miho, Toshiaki Hara, Satoshi.Arakawa, Yasuo Kitai, Masao Yamanishi (2009-07-10). A minimized facility concept of the Advanced Solid Rocket launch operation. 27th International Symposium on Space Technology and Science. http://www.senkyo.co.jp/ists2009/papers/html/pdf/2009-g-21.pdf. Retrieved 2009-09-20 ^{[dead link]}
9. ^ "New Japanese Solid Rocket On Way". AVIATION WEEK. 2009-11-10. http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news/Japan111009.xml. Retrieved 2009-12-30. 

External links

• M-V page in ISAS site of JAXA
• Advanced Solid Rocket at JAXA
• M-V, Encyclopedia Astronautica