JAXA's solid fuel "Falcon 1"

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Details of New Japanese Cost-Cutting Launch Vehicle Leaked

August 27, 2009

[Satellite TODAY 08-28-09] The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is spending $213 million to develop a small launch vehicle in 2010 to reduce satellite launch costs by two-thirds, according to Nikkei reports, released Aug. 27.

JAXA is working with The Japanese Ministry of Science and Technology and IHI Corp. on the project.

The new three-stage rocket will be 24 meters in length and 2.5 meters in diameter at its widest section – less than half the size and carrying capacity of JAXA’s H-2A launch vehicle. The rocket will be able to carry payloads as heavy as 1.2 tons and use solid fuel for all three of its stages. JAXA claims that, since it will not have to fill up with liquid fuel, using solid fuel will cut down on the time that the rocket will need to prepare for liftoff once it arrives at the launch site.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) has a similar business model and mission in the United States. Falcon-1, SpaceX’s smaller launch vehicle, uses liquid fuel and costs between $8 and $10 million per launch.
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