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JAXA (& other Japanese) Launch and Discussion Thread


tater

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Welp, sadly the 2nd stage didn't light up at all.

 

Looking back in the stream at the 2nd stage sep/engine ignition point, the commentators (?) knew it went wrong as well I think. They mentioned they were glad it launched but since it fails mid-way they can't say it's a success.

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Just now, StrandedonEarth said:

Not really that big a deal when the turn is made low and slow

Stupid question: had any rockets before like that or even little crazier than this one? I think it shouldn't be the first one and definitely won't be the last one 

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  • 3 weeks later...
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A new sample return mission has been proposed, utilizing technology from Hayabusa 1 and 2 (Hayabusa3?), but for a comet this time.

It will launch in the mid-2030s and the sample will be returned in the 2040s, and will consist of a mothership with a deployable probe for the sample return itself. The target comet lies between Earth and Jupiter. It will be able to analyze the samples on its own instead of having to wait until the capsule is returned to Earth.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/04/30/national/science-health/jaxa-new-hayabusa-mission/ (might be paywalled)

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On 7/10/2023 at 8:42 PM, SunlitZelkova said:

Reusable rocket concept from ISAS. Unclear whether it is an SSTO or not.

It looks a bit like the Mockingbird 'brick-lifter' SSTO. Chances are good.

A quick MT of the post says they're proposing propulsive landing on non-atmospheric sites, and looking in to decelerating and even augmenting propulsion with the atmosphere.

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It's many times less impactful than I thought it would be. Plus, the fact that no one was hurt, and it exploded in a ground test - that sounds like good news to me: much better than going up in the air and exploding. As long as they learn the lessons from this.

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So in a thread in the lounge I mentioned I was going to visit the JAXA Tsukuba Space Center, but we had a change of plans and ended up going to the Chofu Space Center in Tokyo!

Here are the pics.

xmvXiKM.jpg

This is the outside of the facility. It is the HQ of JAXA and is the location of some test facilities.

Jws2V1q.jpg

The main attraction on display at Chofu is AFLEX, one of the test articles used during the H-II Orbiting Space Plane program in the 1990s.

vuSctv6.jpg

Here's a cutaway of the different parts.

uNaz209.jpg

And here is a depiction of the test flight profile.

iFwcJry.jpg

Also on display were a number of models of JAXA's past and present fleet of flying testbeds. As you can see, this one was utilized for VTOL research in the early 1970s.

The center had a number of different concept art on display of their current development projects. I don't want this post to be too long so I will post them in a few days.

The center was small, but great fun to visit. They had some kiddie displays showing off how jet engines and wind tunnels work, and although it was closed on the day I went there, there was a spaceflight simulator too.

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