MHI just announced that H-IIA F27 will be flying with IGS Radar-Spare on January 29, 2015 some time around 01:00-03:00 UTC.3 launches in under 4 months....are they trying to reach EELV flight rates?
Fuji, can you please point to the sourse of the February 2 launch date for IGS Radar Spare?
So it was confirmed - the next Japanese launch with IGS Optical-5 will occur on March 26 again at the 01:00 - 03:00 UTC time frame (probably again ~01:20 UTC given the observed orbits of previous satellites ). Getting a little bit busy at TNSC..... http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2015/02/20150203_h2af28_j.html
Are HTV-8 and -9 fix now?
NHK is reporting that MHI grabbed another commercial launch contract for the H-IIA - this time it's the newest Earth observation satellite for the United Arab Emirates, KhalifaSat (ex-DubaiSat-3), launching in 2017. Given its 300 kg weight and heading for a 600 km SSO, it is likely a share-ride with a JAXA mission (probably GOSAT-2).
I have read that in 2017 the Yoshinobu launch pad 2 will begin to modernize for H-3 rocket. The reconstruction will be finished in 2019. The question is where HTV-8 and subsequent spacecrafts will be launched from?
Recent concept shows that H-3 will share the same core diameter and (almost) same SRB with H-2B, which could make it easier to rearrange the pad modification and H-2B launch preparation
Quote from: anik on 06/09/2015 08:55 pmI have read that in 2017 the Yoshinobu launch pad 2 will begin to modernize for H-3 rocket. The reconstruction will be finished in 2019. The question is where HTV-8 and subsequent spacecrafts will be launched from?Recent concept shows that H-3 will share the same core diameter and (almost) same SRB with H-2B, which could make it easier to rearrange the pad modification and H-2B launch preparation.