Japanese Space Program

Last edited:
Ministry of Defense requests 323.2 billion yen to build a “satellite constellation”
https://topics.smt.docomo.ne.jp/article/trafficnews/trend/trafficnews-134725?redirect=1On August 30, 2024, the Ministry of Defense announced its budget request for fiscal 2025. Among them, we learned that 323.2 billion yen was requested for the construction of a “satellite constellation” using small satellites.

It is expected that satellite launches will begin at the end of FY2025, and the constellation will be built gradually, with full-scale operations to begin at the end of FY2027.

The Ministry of Defense plans to use the satellite as an “eye” to detect and track enemy naval vessels, ground forces, etc., in a stand-off defense capability to neutralize the enemy from a long distance using long-range missiles. In addition, a budget of 5.3 billion yen has been requested for the “Tactical AI Satellite Demonstrator Prototype,” which will use AI to process enemy data captured by other satellites and provide enemy information through intercommunication with various types of equipment.

地経学B_230904_450×300NT[1].jpg
 
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a0e8AKOWg0


Developed by the Japanese space agency JAXA, the spacecraft will explore Phobos from orbit and collect samples from its surface. On board MMX is the IDEFIX rover – a collaboration between the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the French space agency CNES.

IDEFIX will land on Phobos, analyse its surface properties and help select a suitable landing site for the MMX mothership.

The MMX mission is scheduled to launch from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center in 2026.

This animation shows the planned mission timeline – from the journey to Mars and its moons, the exploration of Phobos from orbit and on the surface with the IDEFIX rover, to the sample collection by the mothercraft and its return to Earth.
Click to expand...
 
https://cnes.fr/sites/default/files/2025-01/CP002-2025_-_Voeux_Presse.pdf [Jan 22, translated]

The Japanese MMX (Martian Moons Exploration) mission will launch in October 2026 to study Mars' two moons, Phobos and Deimos. A small Franco-German mobile robot named IDEFIX, operated by CNES and DLR, will be dropped on Phobos as a scout to characterize the Martian moon's surface. The FSS (Farside Seismic Suite) seismometer will be placed on the far side of the Moon in 2026, near the south pole in the Schrödinger Basin, an ancient impact crater that bears traces of a volcanic eruption half a billion years ago. This is a cooperation with the United States and its launch is scheduled for June 2026.
Click to expand...
 
new on Lunar lander Hakuto-R
Gsug9EraoAEqFIK
 
Scott Manley:

Based on my guess iSpace probably hit the moon a bit more slowly than last time, which is progress of sorts, but this landing is something of the inverse result of the previous flight where the spacecraft successfully stopped at a point high above the moon before falling. This time the navigation tried to stop at a spot just below the surface.
Click to expand...

View: https://youtu.be/d1_wAD717u0?si=EZQcGhZPmxk8V-za
 
The Space Bucket has put out a video about the latest failed Japanese Moon-lander attempt:


Earlier today, ispace's M2 lunar lander attempted to touchdown on the surface of the Moon. Unfortunately, the landing was unsuccessful, with the lander expected to have impacted the surface, being destroyed in the process. During the official stream, we were shown live telemetry which gives us a hint into what happened to the vehicle and during which phase of its landing.
Click to expand...
Credit:
ispace - / @ispace9464
Click to expand...
Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
0:25 - Hard Impact
5:02 - Mission Comparison
Click to expand...
 
Flyaway said:
This came somewhat out of the blue, and an impressive first test flight.
Click to expand...
Honda, Japan's hope in civil aerospace (looking at you, Mitsubishi and JAXA)

On a serious note, it's actually baffling that this thing flew before both the RV-X and CALLISTO, for probably much less budget and definitely within much less time.
 
After 24 years: H-IIA had its last and 50th launch today.


It launched the GOSAT-GW earth observation satellite to Sun-synchronous orbit, it uses an infrared spectrometer and a microwave imager to measure Greenhouse gases concentrations and monitor water bodies and concentration on surface and atmosphere.
With a 98% success rate, some of H-IIA's notable payloads include: Kaguya (lunar orbiter), Akatsuki (venus orbiter), Hayabusa 2 (Ryugu asteroid sample return), XRISM+SLIM (X-ray telescope+lunar landing), Hope (UAE Mars orbiter), and the IGS military reconaissanc satellites
 
Internationally speaking I think that JAXA's H-II series has been underrated and should have more attention.
 
As far as the umbilical retraction…didn’t they read HIGHLIGHTS as children?

Gallant never yanked the plug out by the cord (the self righteous mook).
 
TheKutKu said:
After 24 years: H-IIA had its last and 50th launch today.
Click to expand...
A couple of related news articles from the Ashai Shimbun and Yomiuri Shimbun respectively:
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/06/29/japan/science-health/japan-h2a-rocket-retired/
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/editorial/yomiuri-editorial/20250701-266869/
The role of the H2A will be taken over by the H3 rocket, which was successfully launched last year. With the H3, the aim is to keep the cost of launches down to ¥5 billion through various measures, including using automobile parts. The frequency of launches will also increase from the H2A’s average of about twice a year.

Through these improvements, it is hoped that a system will be put in place to receive orders from customers worldwide.

It is also essential to map out a strategy that looks beyond the H3. The development of a new engine for the H3 faced difficulties. This is probably because the technology has not been sufficiently passed down to the next generation as a result of the lack of opportunities to develop rockets since the H2A was designed.

The development of a successor rocket to the H3 should begin as soon as possible in order to ensure that the technology is passed on to the next generation. Startup companies overseas are pursuing bold development without the fear of failure. Japan, too, must foster a mindset that allows for a certain degree of failure and seeks to increase the speed of development.
Click to expand...
 

Conceptual Study of Japan's Future Solid Rocket System ​

January 2019

(ResearchGate link)

A new space transportation system with an expendable solid-fuel booster and a reusable liquid-fuel orbiter is under consideration as part of activities in JAXA to construct a fully reusable space transportation system in the future. This paper shows this new system's conceptual study results, the system specifications, the new technology to be applied, the requirements to the subsystems, and the prospects.
Click to expand...
 
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/science-nature/technology/20250724-271622/
The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:27 JST, July 24, 2025

An engine firing test for the new mainstay H3 rocket was conducted without any major problems at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture on Thursday, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said.

The test involved a new type of H3 without rocket boosters and is part of a process that aims to reduce the cost of launches to ¥5 billion, half the price of the previous mainstay H2A’s launches. The firing test, which marked the final stage of this process, finished without any significant problems.

JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. have jointly developed the H3. Thursday’s test involved the sixth H3 rocket, which is a Type 30 test vehicle that has three main engines and no boosters. The three main engines were fired for 25 seconds while the rocket remained attached to the launchpad. JAXA will check acceleration, temperature and other data collected during the test.

Successfully launched H3 rockets have so far had two main engines and two boosters. The H2A rocket that was retired last month had either two or four boosters, but none of the H2A rockets was boosterless.

If JAXA confirms the rocket performed as expected during the firing test, it will be scheduled to blast off carrying dummy satellites and other cargo before the end of fiscal 2025, which runs through March 2026. Later H3 rockets are scheduled to launch satellites including the government’s information-gathering satellites from fiscal 2026 onward.
Click to expand...
 
I stumbled across this excellent Scott Manley video about JAXA's licence-produced Thor-Delta rockets (It was the N-series):


Japan's space program is hugely capable, they've provided one of the most important parts of the ISS, were the first to return samples from an asteroid, recently they've landed on the moon and debuted the new H-3 rocket. But their biggest launch vehicle is a direct descendent of the American Thor/Delta rocket and while Delta is soon to be retired, Japan's H-3 has a long history ahead of it.
Click to expand...

Edit: I wonder how it would've gone if JAXA had chosen the Atlas-Agena instead of the Thor-Delta or if it had chosen both with the Atlas-Agena being the heavy-lift option?
 
Last edited:
HTV-X1 currently targeting launch on the 21st October on the 7th H3.

https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2025/08/20250822-1_e.html
Also:

The launch schedule of the 6th H3 Launch Vehicle (Type 30 Test Vehicle) will be announced once confirmed.
Click to expand...
And:

Space Intelligence
@SpaceIntel101
LE-9 Engine Combustion Testat the Tanegashima Space Center✨
This veteran test stand has over 100 LE-9 engine tests under its belt!
Japan's H3 is powered by 2 or 3 LE-9, depending on the used configuration.
It uses a highly reliable expander bleed cycle generating 1,471 kN (331,000 lbf) of thrust.
Click to expand...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1958452532889473322
View: https://twitter.com/SpaceIntel101/status/1958452532889473322
 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom