RAPIS-1 & others
Epsilon
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
Rocket Launch Video
Mission
RAPIS-1 & others
- Type: Dedicated Rideshare
- Orbit: Sun-Synchronous Orbit
- Launch Cost: $39,000,000
A rideshare mission to launch experimental microsats and cubesats. Main payload is RAPIS-1 (RAPid Innovative payload demonstration Satellite 1), which will test several new technologies in space.
Location
Mu Center
Uchinoura Space Center, Japan
Mu Center has witnessed the launch of 36 rockets, including 36 orbital launch attempts. While Uchinoura Space Center, Japan, has been the site for 43 rocket launches.
The Uchinoura Space Center is a space launch facility in the Japanese town of Kimotsuki, Kagoshima Prefecture. All of Japan's scientific satellites were launched from Uchinoura prior to the M-V launch vehicles being decommissioned in 2006. It continues to be used for suborbital launches, stratospheric balloons and has also been used for the Epsilon orbital launch vehicle. Additionally, the center has antennas for communication with interplanetary space probes.
Rocket
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Epsilon
The Epsilon rocket is a Japanese solid-fuel rocket designed to launch scientific satellites. It is a follow-on project to the larger and more expensive M-V rocket which was retired in 2006. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) began developing the Epsilon in 2007. It is capable of placing a 590 kg payload into Sun-synchronous orbit.
Agency
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is Japan's national aero-space agency. Through the merger of three previously independent organizations, JAXA was formed on 1 October 2003. JAXA is responsible for research, technology development and the launch of satellites into orbit, and is involved in many more advanced missions, such as asteroid exploration and possible manned exploration of the Moon. JAXA launch their Epsilon vehicle from the Uchinoura Space Center and their H-II vehicles from the Tanegashima Space Center.
