H3 (rocket)

H3

Function	Launch vehicle
Manufacturer	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Country of origin	Japan
Size
Height	63 m
Diameter	5.2 m
Stages	2
Capacity
Payload to GTO ⊿Ｖ=1500m/s	> 6500 kg
Launch history
Status	In development
Launch sites	LA-Y, Tanegashima
First flight	FY2020 (planned)
Boosters
No. boosters	0-4
Thrust	9,220 kN (2,070,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	283.6 s (2.781 km/s)
Burn time	114 s
Fuel	Solid
First stage
Engines	2 or 3 LE-9
Thrust	2,900 kN (650,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	432 seconds (4.24 km/s)
Fuel	LOX/LH2
Second stage
Engines	1 LE-5B
Thrust	137 kN (31,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	448 seconds (4.39 km/s)
Fuel	LOX/LH2

The H3 Launch Vehicle is an expendable launch system in development in Japan. H3 rockets are liquid-propellant rockets with strap-on solid rocket boosters and are planned to be launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. Mitsubishi and the JAXA have been primarily responsible for the design, manufacture, and operation of the H3.

As of July 2015, it is planned that the minimum configuration is to carry a payload of up to 4 tonnes into sun-synchronous orbit for about 5 billion yen, and the maximum configuration is to carry more than 6.5 tonnes into geostationary transfer orbit.

The first H3 without boosters is planned to launch in fiscal year 2020, and with boosters in FY2021.

Development

The development of H3 was authorized by Japanese government 17 May 2013. The H3 rocket is being developed jointly by JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to launch a wide variety of commercial satellites. H3 was designed with cheaper engines compared to H-IIA, so that manufacturing the new launch vehicle would be more cost-effective, with less risk, in a shorter period of time. JAXA was in charge of preliminary design, readiness of the ground facility, and development of new technologies for the H3, while Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is responsible for manufacturing. The main emphasis in design is cost reduction, with planned launch costs for customers are in range 50-65 mln USD.

Vehicle description

The H3 Launch Vehicle is a two-stage rocket. The first stage uses liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen as propellants and has none to 4 strap-on solid rocket boosters (derived from SRB-A3) powered by polybutadiene. The first stage is powered by two or three LE-9 engines which uses expander bleed cycle similar to LE-5B. The second stage is powered by a single engine which is an improved LE-5B.

External links

• JAXA H3 English page
• JAXA's No.062 (Japanese)