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H-II rocket at Tsukuba science museum & planetarium | |
| Function | Medium-lift launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer |
|
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Size | |
| Height | 49 m (161 ft) |
| Diameter | 4 m (13 ft) |
| Mass | 260,000 kg (570,000 lb) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO | |
| Mass | 10,060 kg (22,180 lb) |
| Payload to GTO | |
| Mass | 3,930 kg (8,660 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | H-II family |
| Based on | H-I |
| Derivative work | H-IIA |
| Comparable | Ariane 4, LVM3 |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Retired |
| Launch sites | Tanegashima, LA-Y1 |
| Total launches | 7 |
| Success(es) | 5 |
| Failure | 1 |
| Partial failure | 1 |
| First flight | 3 February 1994 |
| Last flight | 15 November 1999 |
| Boosters | |
| No. boosters | 2 |
| Maximum thrust | 1,540 kN (350,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 273 s (2.68 km/s) |
| Burn time | 94 seconds |
| First stage | |
| Powered by | 1 × LE-7 |
| Maximum thrust | 1,078 kN (242,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 446 s (4.37 km/s) |
| Burn time | 346 seconds |
| Propellant | LH2 / LOX |
| Second stage | |
| Powered by | 1 × LE-5A |
| Maximum thrust | 121.5 kN (27,300 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 452 s (4.43 km/s) |
| Burn time | 600 seconds |
| Propellant | LH2 / LOX |
The H-II (H2) rocket was a Japanese satellite launch system, which flew seven times between 1994 and 1999, with five successes. It was developed by NASDA in order to give Japan a capability to launch larger satellites in the 1990s.[1] It was the first two-stage liquid-fuelled rocket Japan made using only technologies developed domestically.[2] It was superseded by the H-IIA rocket following reliability and cost issues.
Background
[edit]Prior to H-II, NASDA had to use components licensed by the United States in its rockets. In particular, crucial technologies of H-I and its predecessors were from the Delta rockets (the manufacturer of the Delta rockets, McDonnell Douglas, later Boeing and the United Launch Alliance, would later use the H-IIA's technologies (the rocket itself is the successor to the H-II) to create the Delta III, albeit short lived). Although the H-I did have some domestically produced components, such as LE-5 engine on the second stage and inertial guidance system, the most crucial part, the first stage engine, was a licence-built version of the Thor-ELT of the US. By developing the LE-7 liquid-fuel engine and the solid booster rockets for the first stage, all stages of H-II had become "domestically developed".
The H-II was developed under the following policies, according to a NASDA press release:[1]
- Develop the launch vehicle with Japanese space technology.
- Reduce both development period and costs by utilizing developed technologies as much as possible.
- Develop a vehicle which can be launched from the existing Tanegashima Space Center.
- Use design criteria which allows sufficient performance for both the main systems and subsystems. Ensure that development will be carried out properly, and safety is taken into account.
The H-II was new, incorporating larger LH2/LOX tanks, and a new upper stage, consisting of a cylindrical LH2 tank with a capsule-shaped LOX tank. The LH2 tank cylinder carried payload launch loads, while the LOX tank and engine were suspended below within the rocket's inter-stage. The second stage was powered by a single LE-5A engine.[3]
History
[edit]Development of the LE-7 engine which started in 1984 was not without hardships, and a worker died in an accidental explosion. The first engine was completed in 1994, two years behind the original schedule. The Rocket Systems Corporation (RSC), a consortium of 74 companies including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nissan Motors, and NEC, was established in 1990 to manage launch operations after the rockets' completion. In 1992, it had 33 employees.[4]
In 1994, NASDA succeeded in launching the first H-II rocket, and succeeded in five launches by 1997. However, each launch cost 19 billion yen (US$190 million), too expensive compared to international competitors like Ariane. (This is in part due to the Plaza Accord's changes to the exchange rate, which was 240 yen to a dollar when the project planning started in 1982, but had changed to 100 yen a dollar by 1994.) Development of the next-generation H-IIA rockets started in order to minimize launch costs.
In 1996, RSC signed a contract with the Hughes Space and Communications Group to launch 10 satellites. The successive failure of flight 5 in 1998 and flight 8 in the following year brought an end to the H-II series and the contract with Hughes.[5] To investigate the cause of the failure and to direct resources into the H-IIA, NASDA cancelled flight 7 (which was to be launched after F8 due to changes in schedule), and terminated the H-II series.[2]
Launch history
[edit]| Flight No. | Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, Configuration |
Launch site | Payload | Payload mass | Orbit | Customer | Launch outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TF1 (Test Flight) | 3 February 1994 22:20 |
H-II | Yoshinobu Launch Complex | OREX (Orbital Re-entry Experiment), VEP (Vehicle Evaluation Payload) | LEO / GTO | Success | ||
| Ryūsei, Myōjō | ||||||||
| TF2 | 28 August 1994 07:50 |
H-II | Yoshinobu Launch Complex | ETS-VI (Engineering Test Satellite-VI) | GEO | Success | ||
| Kiku 6 | ||||||||
| TF3 | 18 March 1995 08:01 |
H-II | Yoshinobu Launch Complex | GMS-5 (Geostationary Meteorological Satellite-5) / SFU (Space Flyer Unit) | GEO / LEO | Success | ||
| Himawari 5 | ||||||||
| F4 | 17 August 1996 01:53 |
H-II | Yoshinobu Launch Complex | ADEOS I (Advanced Earth Observing Satellite) / Fuji OSCAR 29, JAS-2 | LEO | Success | ||
| Midori, Fuji 3 | ||||||||
| F6 | November 27, 1997 21:27 |
H-II | Yoshinobu Launch Complex | TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) / ETS-VII (Engineering Test Satellite-VII) | LEO | Success | ||
| Kiku 7 (Orihime & Hikoboshi) | ||||||||
| F5 | February 21, 1998 07:55 |
H-II | Yoshinobu Launch Complex | COMETS (Communications and Broadcasting Engineering Test Satellites) | GEO | Partial failure | ||
| Kakehashi, Faulty brazing in second-stage engine cooling system caused engine burn through and cable damage resulting in shutdown midway through the upper stage's second burn, leaving spacecraft in elliptical LEO instead of GTO. Spacecraft thrusters raised orbit enough to complete some communications experiments. | ||||||||
| F8 | November 15, 1999 07:29 |
H-II | Yoshinobu Launch Complex | MTSAT (Multi-functional Transport Satellite) | GEO | Failure | ||
| Cavitation in the first stage hydrogen turbopump impeller caused an impeller blade to fracture, resulting in loss of fuel and rapid shutdown of the engine at T+239 s. The vehicle impacted the ocean 380 km NW of Chichijima. | ||||||||
Gallery
[edit]-
The Ground Test Vehicle of H-II, now installed at Tsukuba Space Center.
-
The first and second stages of the canceled Flight 7, at a hangar in Tanegashima Space Center.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "H-II Launch Vehicle No.4" (Press release). NASDA. Archived from the original on 11 December 2003. Retrieved 2007-06-25.
- ^ a b JAXA. "H-II Launch Vehicle". Launch Vehicles and Space Transportation Systems. JAXA Website. Archived from the original on 2013-10-30. Retrieved 2007-06-25.
- ^ "About H-II Launch Vehicle". JAXA. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
- ^ Helm, Leslie (1992-07-13). "Japan Discovers It's Harder to Be a Star in Space : Aerospace: The failure of a new rocket sets back its effort to become a key player in the commercial launch business". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2021-05-19.
- ^ "Hughes cancels NASDA rocket deal". The Japan Times. 2000-05-26. Retrieved 2021-05-14.
External links
[edit]- H-II Launch Vehicle Archived 2013-10-30 at the Wayback Machine, JAXA.
Background and Development
Origins and Objectives
The National Space Development Agency (NASDA) was established on October 1, 1969, under the National Space Development Agency Law, with the primary mandate to conduct integrated, systematic, and effective space development activities, thereby reducing Japan's reliance on foreign launch services such as the U.S. Delta rockets for its satellite programs.[2][3] This creation marked a foundational step toward building domestic space capabilities, initially focused on technology acquisition and international collaboration, but evolving to emphasize self-reliance as Japan's space ambitions grew. In the 1980s, Japan's space policy underwent a significant shift toward greater autonomy, driven by economic growth, technological maturity, and a desire to participate more actively in global space activities without dependency on U.S. technology transfers. This context prompted the government to prioritize indigenous launch systems, with NASDA leading efforts to develop vehicles capable of supporting national satellite constellations and international missions. Budget allocations for space development, including preliminary studies for advanced launchers, began in fiscal year 1985, reflecting this policy pivot and allocating resources to foster a robust national aerospace industry.[4][5] The H-II program originated from a 1984 governmental decision to pursue a fully domestic next-generation launcher, with NASDA initiating basic studies in 1986 to meet strategic goals of launching heavy payloads independently. Key objectives included achieving a payload capacity of approximately 4 tons to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), enabling reliable access for geostationary missions, and promoting cost efficiency through reusable technologies and industry partnerships. These aims were tied to supporting upcoming domestic satellites, such as the Engineering Test Satellite VI (ETS-VI), a 2-ton-class platform for advanced propulsion and communication tests, to demonstrate Japan's technological prowess in space applications.[6][7][8] This initiative built on the partially imported H-I program, transitioning to full domestic development under H-II to solidify Japan's launch sovereignty and economic competitiveness in the international space market.[9]Development Process
The development of the H-II launch vehicle was approved by Japan's National Space Development Agency (NASDA) in 1985, with formal work commencing in August 1986 following the initiation of launch facility construction at Tanegashima Space Center the previous year.[2] The program aimed to create a fully indigenous heavy-lift capability, building on prior H-I efforts, and progressed through key phases including design feasibility studies from 1984 to 1987 and prototype engine development starting in 1986.[10] By the late 1980s, prototype assembly and initial testing were underway, with the static firing test facility for the LE-7 first-stage engine completed at Tanegashima in 1988.[2] Qualification for the first flight was originally targeted for 1992 but delayed to 1994 due to technical hurdles, culminating in the vehicle's readiness for its inaugural launch on February 4, 1994.[9][11] Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) served as the lead integrator for the H-II, overseeing overall vehicle assembly and systems integration, while Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (now IHI Aerospace) developed the LE-7 engine and its turbopumps, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries contributed to structural components, including the payload fairing.[11] These collaborations emphasized domestic technology transfer, with MHI anticipating significant contracts totaling over $700 million from 1987 to 1989 for core development work.[11] Technological advancements included the adoption of lightweight composite materials for the payload fairing, such as glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) panels with aluminum honeycomb cores and a silicone resin insulator mixed with glass microballoons to enhance thermal protection and reduce mass.[12][13] Structural integrity checks incorporated aluminum-lithium alloys for the first-stage tanks to optimize strength-to-weight ratios, aligning with the program's objectives for improved payload capacity to geostationary transfer orbit.[9] Extensive ground testing at Tanegashima Space Center validated the vehicle's components, including hot-fire trials of the LE-7 engine that accumulated over 16,600 seconds across 254 tests using 10 engines.[10] These efforts encompassed dynamic turbopump evaluations—reaching 46,130 RPM for the liquid hydrogen unit and 20,000 RPM for the liquid oxygen unit—and structural load assessments to ensure reliability under operational stresses.[10] However, the program faced significant challenges, particularly with the LE-7's staged-combustion cycle, which encountered combustion instability, turbine blade cracking from resonant vibrations, and transient issues like a 3% shortfall in fuel pump head rise.[10] Early tests in 1989 produced multiple fires and explosions, including a hydrogen gas incident in May 1991 and a pressure explosion in August 1991, delaying qualification by up to three years and straining liquid hydrogen test facilities.[11] These problems were resolved by 1993 through redesigns, such as replacing blisk turbine blades with fir-tree configurations using directionally solidified MAR-M-247 material and shifting the LOX turbine to full admission to mitigate dynamic loads, enabling stable operation and paving the way for flight certification.[10]Design and Technology
Overall Configuration
The H-II launch vehicle is configured as a two-stage expendable rocket optimized for medium-to-heavy lift missions, with an overall height of 50 m, a core diameter of 2.5 m for both stages, and a total liftoff mass of approximately 260 tons.[1] The first stage core measures 17.8 m in length and integrates with two solid rocket boosters for initial ascent thrust, while the second stage spans 14.0 m and provides orbital insertion capability. The payload fairing, which encloses the satellite and separates after passing through the atmosphere, offers versatile options with diameters ranging from 4 m to 5.1 m to accommodate various payload sizes. This configuration supports satellites up to 4,000 kg in geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) through standardized adapter interfaces that ensure secure mounting and separation.[14][12] Assembly occurs via vertical integration at the Yoshinobu Launch Complex on Tanegashima Island, where stages and the payload are stacked atop a mobile launcher platform in a dedicated vehicle assembly building before transport to the pad; notably, the design omits additional strap-on boosters beyond the baseline pair, distinguishing it from certain predecessors that relied on more complex booster arrangements.[1] Guidance is achieved through an inertial navigation system employing a strapped-down inertial measurement unit with three ring laser gyroscopes and an onboard computer for real-time trajectory corrections.[1]Propulsion and Stages
The H-II launch vehicle's propulsion system relied on cryogenic liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid hydrogen (LH2) propellants for both stages, providing high specific impulse for efficient ascent. This bipropellant combination, with its low molecular weight exhaust, enabled the rocket to achieve the velocity increments necessary for orbital insertion. The first stage was augmented by two solid rocket boosters (SRBs), each producing approximately 1,550 kN of thrust at sea level using polybutadiene composite solid propellant, with a propellant mass of 62.5 tons per booster and a burn time of about 94 seconds.[1] The first stage was powered by the LE-7 engine, a domestically developed LOX/LH2 staged combustion cycle engine producing 1,078 kN of vacuum thrust. Gimbaled for three-axis control, the LE-7 incorporated two LOX/LH2 turbopumps (one for each propellant) to deliver propellants at high pressure to the combustion chamber, supporting a total first stage capacity of 107.5 tons. This configuration contributed approximately 3.5 km/s of delta-v during ascent, propelling the vehicle through the dense lower atmosphere.[15][16] The second stage employed the restartable LE-5A engine, an expander cycle LOX/LH2 unit with 122 kN vacuum thrust, allowing multiple burns for precise orbital maneuvers such as circularization or plane changes. With a propellant capacity of 14 tons, the stage provided about 4.5 km/s of delta-v, completing the velocity buildup to low Earth orbit or beyond.[1][15] Stage separation between the first and second stages utilized pneumatic pushers combined with pyrotechnic devices, ensuring a clean jettison at approximately 140 km altitude to minimize interference with the continuing ascent.[17]Launch Operations and Performance
Launch Sites and Infrastructure
The H-II launch vehicle utilized the Yoshinobu Launch Complex at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, as its primary launch site. This facility, located on the southeastern coast of Tanegashima Island, was designed to support large-scale orbital launches and served as the exclusive base for all seven H-II missions between 1994 and 1999. The dedicated launch pad, designated as Pad 1 (also referred to as Complex 1B), was constructed specifically for the H-II and completed in September 1991 following initial work that began in 1986.[18] Key infrastructure elements at the Yoshinobu Complex included the Pad Service Tower (PST), a 61-meter-high mobile steel structure weighing approximately 1,000 tons, which facilitated vertical assembly, payload integration, and access for technicians during pre-launch preparations. Cryogenic propellant farms supplied liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid hydrogen (LH2) to the launch pad via dedicated pipelines, with storage facilities including a 1,000 kiloliter LH2 tank and a 2,500 kiloliter LOX tank to accommodate the H-II's propellant needs. Telemetry and tracking stations, integrated with the site's control systems, enabled real-time data acquisition and monitoring from ground-based antennas. The assembled vehicle was transported to the pad on a mobile launcher platform along a rail system compatible with the H-II's 4-meter diameter and overall configuration.[18][19] Launch campaigns for the H-II typically lasted about 30 days within a designated launch period, beginning with payload arrival and testing at the Second Spacecraft Test and Assembly Building, followed by integration with the vehicle in the Vehicle Assembly Building, and culminating in rollout to the pad. This process incorporated range safety protocols overseen by the Takesaki Range Control Center, ensuring compliance with flight termination criteria and ground hazard assessments. Safety systems featured a flight termination system (FTS) with onboard destruct charges activated automatically or by command if the vehicle deviated from its trajectory, supported by exclusion zones extending over the Pacific Ocean to protect maritime and terrestrial assets.[12] Given its coastal location amid sensitive ecosystems, the Tanegashima site employed noise suppression measures, including a water deluge system at the launch pad to mitigate acoustic impacts from the H-II's LE-7 engine ignition, which generated over 1 million pounds of thrust. Wildlife mitigation efforts addressed local species such as sea turtles and birds, involving seasonal monitoring and restricted access zones during launch windows to minimize disturbance.[20][21]Flight History and Outcomes
The H-II launch vehicle conducted a total of seven flights between 1994 and 1999, with four fully successful in delivering payloads to their intended orbits, two partial successes, and one failure. These missions primarily targeted geostationary transfer orbits (GTO) for communications and meteorological satellites, as well as low Earth orbits (LEO) for scientific observatories, demonstrating Japan's capability for independent space access. Payload masses to GTO typically ranged from 2 to 4 tons, supporting a mix of engineering test satellites and operational spacecraft. Note: Flight numbers were assigned prior to launch; Flight 5F occurred after 6F due to scheduling delays. Multi-orbit missions used payload dispensers for separate deployments.[1][22] The flight manifest is summarized below:| Flight | Date (UTC) | Configuration | Payload(s) | Orbit | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1F | 1994-02-03 | H-II | OREX (0.865 t), VEP/Myōjō (2.391 t) | LEO (OREX) / GTO (VEP) | Success |
| 2F | 1994-08-28 | H-II | ETS-VI/Kiku-6 + LAPS (3.800 t) | GTO | Partial failure (apogee kick motor failed to ignite, leaving satellite in sub-GTO) |
| 3F | 1995-03-18 | H-II + 2 SSB | SFU (3.846 t), GMS-5/Himawari-5 (0.747 t) | LEO (SFU) / GTO (GMS-5) | Success |
| 4F | 1996-08-17 | H-II | ADEOS/Midori (3.560 t), JAS-2/Fuji (0.020 t) | LEO/Sun-synchronous | Success |
| 6F | 1997-11-27 | H-II | TRMM (3.620 t), ETS-VII/Orihime & Hikoboshi (1.960 t) | LEO | Success |
| 5F | 1998-02-21 | H-II | COMETS/Kakehashi (2.700 t) | GTO | Partial failure (second-stage premature shutdown) |
| 8F | 1999-11-15 | H-II | MTSAT prototype (2.900 t) | GTO | Failure (vehicle destroyed after deviation) |