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Japan Successfully Launches Solid Fuel Rocket (oann.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the mission-accomplished dept.

randomErr writes: Japan successfully launched a solid fuel rocket named Epsilon-2. The 26-meter-long rocket launched from the Uchinoura Space Center at about 8 p.m. local time. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said this is the latest in Tokyo's effort to stay competitive in an industry that has robust growth potential and strong security implications. Also, this is to curb costs for rocket launches. The Epsilon-2 three-stage rocket [is part of a new generation of solid propellant rockets that aim] to put communication and weather satellites in space.

3 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. Slightly better summary by ChoGGi · · Score: 5, Informative

    https://www.nasaspaceflight.co...

  2. Re:Title is wildly misleading by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Much of the cost of a liquid fuel rocket is an engine, here you just have a simple pipe open on one end.

  3. Re:Title is wildly misleading by hey! · · Score: 3, Informative

    US ICBMs are solid fuel rockets. This is so they can be launched quickly before an attack by an adversary can take them out.

    That said the primary design goal for this particular rocket is low cost. One of these particular rockets costs only $38 million. Many launch systems aimed at putting about 1000 kg into orbit are solid fuel because it's relatively cheap to build and operate a solid-propellant rocket and you don't need to squeeze every last bit of specific impulse out of the rocket to launch a modest payload.
    .

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