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Japan Successfully Launches Solid Fuel Rocket (oann.com)
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.
This is news for nerds. Any "nerd" who doesn't think rocketry is awesome should probably turn in their badge on the way out.
Usually you have to fill liquid fuelled ones up just before you launch them. This means if anyone is observing you, they know in advance that you're going to launch.
This can be a disadvantage for certain applic@.m,mk
no carrier
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
Why would Japan want such a thing after having avowed a no nuclear policy after being subjected to the only nuclear attack in history?
As far as I can tell, japan has considered to not be a nuclear power almost in name only for quite a while. They have an active space programme, a strong nuclear industry with reprocessing, first world tech and science, active heavy industry, leading supercomputing capability and so on.
Yes, they are avowedly anti nuclear on paper, but when push comes to shove, it's entirely obvious they could have a nuke up in the air with pretty short notice.
Now, while they had a good space program, what they lacked was an excellent delivery vehicle. Liquid fueled rockets are superior in many regards, but as a delivery mechanism for nukes they are not. Solid fuelled rockets are stable, robust, transportable and fuelled and ready to go with no notice 24/7 for years at a time.
Now, there's not been much hurry, but North Korea has been acting more threatening recently, and China is beginning to get a bit miliraristic round that area about ownership of some islands.
I don't think there's a huge desire to become a nuclear power but this sends a message that they could and very quickly if they desired. At this point if Japan felt it had to start it's own manhattan program, well, it would probably be scant months before they reach the stage where they could drop a warhead on more or less anywhere in the world at short notice and from hard to predict locations.
SJW n. One who posts facts.
Solid fuel: Low cost, low storage requirements, quick preparation
Disadvatanges:
Low power, can't be stopped