JAXA (& other Japanese) Launch and Discussion Thread

[YNM]

Well, crap. The container have toppled on Tanegashima from the road transporter.

Spoiler

 

 

Work to return it to upright have started.

Edited January 30, 2021 by YNM

[YNM]

The first stage (and second stage, following the first stage trailer) have safely arrived on Tanegashima Space Center earlier this morning, at 31st Jan at ~8 AM.

Article from NHK. (google-translated)

Spoiler

Second stage transporter :

Location of the incident :

 

 

 

Edited January 31, 2021 by YNM

[Scotius]

I hope hardware inside is intact. Otherwise it would be very, very costly road accident

[YNM]

2 hours ago, Scotius said:

I hope hardware inside is intact.

It was more like a gentle leaning over, probably due to the dolly configuration when it traversed the corner. I'll guess that the stage inside isn't exactly solid with the container, given sea transport and all that.

Edited January 31, 2021 by YNM

[YNM]

How they're imagining building stuff on the surface on the Moon.

[YNM]

It's coming together...

Spoiler

Extra pictures from MHI twitter account :

 

 

 

Edited February 8, 2021 by YNM

[tater]

 

https://www.mext.go.jp/kaigisiryo/content/20210303-mxt_uchukai01-000013139_3.pdf

(in Japanese, but has some pictures, lol)

[YNM]

Everyone be pursuing reusable first stage now... Although I wonder about the timeline given that'd mean that H3 has only like a decade of use.

 

I think the airplane thing isn't completely new however. They've been researching quiet SST and hypersonic airplane as well, so it probably would come in handy.

[SunlitZelkova]

Is this a serious proposal?

The spacecraft in the pictures are purely for reference. The tweet it is in says "they are dreaming to much" or something to that effect.

 

I used Google Translate combined with my limited Japanese skills, so it may be inaccurate, but it looks like-

They are proposing a NASA Integrated Program Plan style system for space transportation. Basically similar to the original Space Transportation System (that is, the STS that ended up being only the Space Shuttle) proposal.

Space tourism, transport to the Lunar Gateway (which in the future will have spacecraft to take stuff/people to Mars docked to it), transport to a post-ISS space station, P2P, and use in the construction of a space based solar power network would be the missions of this system.

The spacecraft concepts under study are Falcon 9/Falcon Heavy style rockets, a Starship equivalent, and an SSTO or TSTO.

The private sector is supposed to cooperate to reduce costs. I am not sure whether international participation is considered, because theoretically, there is nothing stopping Japan from paying SpaceX to do all of this in the future.

The missions they propose are ones they think will exist by 2040 and thus the spacecraft would to be developed by then, no earlier, although if they use the Falcon 9/Falcon Heavy rocket, its first flight will be in the 2030s.

The latter parts of the PDF describe the technical aspects of either the TSTO or the Falcon 9 style rocket, while the very last page might be about cost reduction but I'm not sure.

 

Separately from this, I have a number of questions (for anybody to answer)-

1. What are Japan's plans for after the ISS? It's Wikipedia so I'm not sure how accurate it is, but apparently there is an idea to build a space station with modules based on the HTV, similar to how Russian space station modules are based on the FGB.

2. Although it may not even be a JAXA proposal, if they went through with the HTV based space station would it be possible to lower the cost by using SpaceX to resupply it and send crews to it, with Japan only building the modules?

Of course they could also just keep Kibo attached to it, because the ISS looks like it could become a private space station with much of it being replaced by Axiom modules.

3. I have seen English sources saying Japan had completely indigenous plans to send people to the Moon, that were shelved around the early 2010s. I am wondering if any documents are out there describing the way the mission would work.

[YNM]

4 hours ago, SunlitZelkova said:

1. What are Japan's plans for after the ISS?

Artemis. They don't have enough money to try and build their own station anyway, but they're more than willing to spend money on developing technology that'd benefit them back on the ground. Right now the largest problem is the population decline so there's a large drive to automate everything - remote space activities are one of the few things that align with this (and if you notice they've been doing exactly that).

4 hours ago, SunlitZelkova said:

if they went through with the HTV based space station would it be possible to lower the cost by using SpaceX to resupply it and send crews to it, with Japan only building the modules?

Same with above.

4 hours ago, SunlitZelkova said:

3. I have seen English sources saying Japan had completely indigenous plans to send people to the Moon, that were shelved around the early 2010s.

They don't have the funds - or the willingness to fund - anymore, esp. post 3.11, and they don't have the personnel.

tl;dr Japanese manned space program would have to rely on other manned space program really. It make no sense for them to send their populace anywhere else as it's dwindling back on Earth. The unmanned robotic ones however has largely been extremely innovative and groundbreaking, esp. considering the relatively small budget. Private ventures is one aspect that the government is trying to foster, but I'd argue if they were interested from the start they'd have jumped on the ship already, ie. Maezawa and dearMoon.

EDIT : Found this document that actually gives the timeline of all the projects in JAXA's planning that has already been fixed.

Spoiler

In other news, HTV-X is progressing nicely :

 

Edited March 6, 2021 by YNM

[SunlitZelkova]

Thanks for the info!

I should have been more clear, I meant whether there were any plans for LEO after the ISS. But I believe my question is answered by what you said anyways.

[tater]

H3 rolled out:

 

 

[YNM]

They were doing upper stage cryo test two days ago, and today they were planning to do the first stage cryo test, however they were caught in a rain so it's most likely not going to be done today.

EDIT : Video from Asahi Shimbun of the rollout :

Test was completed on March 18 ~01:00 JST (UTC +9), but a second test is planned; however the second test cannot be carried out and so far the rocket has been rolled back into the VAB.

Edited March 18, 2021 by YNM

[YNM]

Video recapping what has been carried out for the first H-3 flight article so far :

 

[kerbalxploder]

@YNM When do you think the H3 will launch? I thought it was going to launch April, although its already May. It can't be too far off into the future, can it?

[YNM]

26 minutes ago, kerbalxploder said:

When do you think the H3 will launch?

Not sure, but probably mid-year or after, but probably not too close to the last quarter of the year for good reasons (wouldn't want to launch in a typhoon season I suppose). If they slip past that then it wouldn't be surprising for it to be well into the end of the year.

 

The last few further updates :

Removal of one of the engines to replace the turbopump :

Spoiler

Caption :

極低温点検を終えたH3ロケットからLE-9エンジンの1基を機体から取外し、エンジン内に搭載されているターボポンプを取外して工場に返送する作業を行いました。LE-9エンジンのターボポンプはまだ開発中で、今回の極低温点検に用いたものは最終フライト形態ではありません。工場に持ち帰ったターボポンプをこの後フライト形態に改修します。
LE-9エンジンの取外し作業は起立している機体の直下で行われます。移動発射台（ML5）と固体ロケットブースタ（SRB-3）に囲まれた狭いスペースで作業を行うため、緊張の連続です。写真は、ノズル部分を外したLE-9エンジン燃焼器部分を機体から取外したところで、さらにこの後、LE-9エンジンからターボポンプを取外す作業も慎重に行いました。

Translation from GTranslate (it's roughly correct but I can't translate way too much stuff myself XD) :

We removed one LE-9 engine from the H3 rocket that had undergone cryogenic inspection, removed the turbo pump mounted in the engine, and returned it to the factory. The turbo pump for the LE-9 engine is still under development, and the one used for this cryogenic inspection is not the final flight form. The turbo pump brought back to the factory will be refurbished to a flight form after this. The LE-9 engine removal work is done directly under the standing aircraft. I'm constantly nervous because I work in a small space surrounded by a mobile launch pad (ML5) and a solid rocket booster (SRB-3). In the photo, the LE-9 engine combustor part with the nozzle part removed was removed from the fuselage, and after that, the turbo pump was carefully removed from the LE-9 engine.

Electromagnetic compatibility testing :

Spoiler

Caption :

現在大型ロケット組立棟（VAB）の中では、H3ロケットの電磁的特性を計測するEMC（Electromagnetic Compatibility）試験を実施しています。同様の試験は工場でも実施しましたが、本番の打上げと同じ形態で地上設備と組み合わせた状態での確認を行っています。この試験ではロケット内にたくさんある電気機器に様々なセンサを取り付けて、ノイズ計測や電源の動作から電磁的な干渉等が無いことを確認しています。もし電磁的な干渉があると、機器が誤動作してしまう可能性があるため、とても大切な試験です。ロケットから無数のケーブルを伸ばして計測機器に接続して測定を行っている様子は、まるでロケットの健康診断をしているかのようです。

Translation from GTranslate :

Currently, in the Yoshinobu Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), we are conducting an EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) test to measure the electromagnetic characteristics of the H3 rocket. A similar test was conducted at the factory, but it is confirmed in the same form as the actual launch in combination with ground equipment. In this test, various sensors are attached to many electric devices inside the rocket, and it is confirmed that there is no electromagnetic interference from noise measurement and power supply operation. This is a very important test as it can cause the equipment to malfunction if there is electromagnetic interference. The appearance of extending innumerable cables from the rocket and connecting them to measuring equipment for measurement is as if a rocket was undergoing a medical examination.

 

Edited May 4, 2021 by YNM

[Pipcard]

On 3/6/2021 at 11:13 AM, SunlitZelkova said:

3. I have seen English sources saying Japan had completely indigenous plans to send people to the Moon, that were shelved around the early 2010s. I am wondering if any documents are out there describing the way the mission would work.

This was the plan from 2008 and 2009. It would have involved a total of six launches of a triple-core H-X (H3) rocket carrying the lunar lander and two Earth Departure Stages, and the crew transfer vehicle and two more Earth Departure Stages.

http://archive.ists.or.jp/upload_pdf/2008-k-63.pdf

http://archive.ists.or.jp/upload_pdf/2009-k-36.pdf

In fact, I recreated it in KSP Real Solar System a few years ago.

Edited May 12, 2021 by Pipcard

[SpaceFace545]

Is HTV-X still in development or has the program been dropped?

[Ultimate Steve]

2 hours ago, SpaceFace545 said:

Is HTV-X still in development or has the program been dropped?

First HTV-X mission is scheduled for 2022 I believe. As far as I know its still being worked on, IDK why they would cancel it this late into development.

[YNM]

6 hours ago, SpaceFace545 said:

Is HTV-X still in development or has the program been dropped?

Their last development update post 2 months ago.

Planned launch is in 2022 so still some time to go.

Edited May 12, 2021 by YNM

[YNM]

7 hours ago, Pipcard said:

It would have involved a total of six launches of a triple-core H-X (H3) rocket carrying the lunar lander and two Earth Departure Stages, and the crew transfer vehicle and two more Earth Departure Stages.

The two EDS is interesting. Wonder if that means HTV-X to Gateway will also do something similar, or if they have a much more powerful upper stage in the design stage or such. To be fair with NRHO you can use the less dV intensive transfers as well.

Edited May 12, 2021 by YNM

[YNM]

Short article about the HTV re-entry capsule, which used vacuum insulation for long-term passive climate control (throughout the pre-reentry, re-entry and post-reentry period) :

 

[YNM]

Welp, everyone be jumping on the reusable booster train...

 

[SpaceFace545]

1 hour ago, YNM said:

Welp, everyone be jumping on the reusable booster train...

 

What’s it called? 

[YNM]

2 hours ago, SpaceFace545 said:

What’s it called? 

No idea yet. I think they're partly asking the Japanese populace (well, probably those who have worked within STEM fields) for ideas for future space transportation.

This two slide might be the most interesting part for the reusability idea :