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International Space Flight (ESA, Russia, China and others) => Japanese Launchers => Topic started by: savuporo on 08/07/2017 03:08 am

Title: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: savuporo on 08/07/2017 03:08 am
https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/Canon-Electronics-led-team-hopes-to-develop-low-cost-rocket

Quote
Canon Electronics is leading a venture that will work on developing a rocket specifically to carry small satellites into space.

Canon is joining IHI Aerospace, construction company Shimizu and the government-backed Development Bank of Japan in the venture.

The new company will be founded on Wednesday with capital of 200 million yen ($1.8 million). Canon Electronics will take a 70% stake. The three other parties will have stakes of 10%.

The business is not expected to get underway until at least the end of fiscal 2017. When it does begin operating, it will try to meet some of the surging demand to carry small satellites into space with a small, low-cost rocket.

The partners plan to develop the rocket using technology from the SS-520 minirocket owned by JAXA, Japan's space agency.

Canon Electronics supplies the SS-520's control equipment.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortiium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 08/16/2017 01:54 am
Japanese press release with more details.

PR (http://www.canon-elec.co.jp/news-backnmbr/detail/20170809_pressrelease.pdf)


New company has a DNS name of nsr-dp.co.jp (http://nsr-dp.co.jp) (no homepage yet)

Top guy appears to be Shinichiro Ota, formerly VP of J-Power (TEPCO) and a former career bureaucrat it seems

太田信一郎 on Wikipedia (https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%AA%E7%94%B0%E4%BF%A1%E4%B8%80%E9%83%8E)
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortiium to develop small launchers
Post by: savuporo on 08/16/2017 02:09 am
The company name is conveniently "New Generation Small Rocket Development Planning Co., Ltd". Hope i spelled that right

https://asia.nikkei.com/Tech-Science/Tech/Joint-venture-launches-4-Japanese-companies-into-minirocket-market

Quote
The new company is led by President Shinichiro Ota, a former industry ministry bureaucrat and once the head of the Japan Patent Office. NGSRDP will initially be based at Canon Electronics' headquarters, studying technologies and costs with the hope of starting commercial operations as early as this year.

The joint venture has set a price point of 1 billion yen ($9.1 million) or less per launch -- an amount seen as competitive against overseas rivals. At present, plans call for a rocket smaller than the Epsilon rocket currently under development by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, but larger than JAXA's SS-520 minirocket.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortiium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 08/16/2017 08:37 am
US$9.1 million is low cost and globally market competitive? I suppose if PegasusXL is your benchmark...

RocketLab's Electron is supposed to be around US$5 million for 100Kg/500kmSSO and if their next launch is successful, then their third flight will be commercial. Arguably they are setting the benchmark (roughly US$50K/Kg) and will be hard to compete with since they own their own launchpad and have a comparatively unrestricted launch range. Launcher One is breathing down everyone's neck as well at a similar price point.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortiium to develop small launchers
Post by: Tywin on 08/17/2017 12:54 am
Other big surprise in the sector the small launcher...with this new company...

Is a joint venture, between other 4 big Japaneses company's...IHI Aerospace, Canon Electronics, Shimizu Corporation, and the Development Bank of Japan  :o

Except the Bank  ??? all the other 3 are involved in the space sector...

żA new giant for this emergent and crowded space?

PD: I hope this give motivation to Shimizu for make space hotel  :D
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortiium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 08/18/2017 12:35 am
Other big surprise in the sector the small launcher...with this new company...

Is a joint venture, between other 4 big Japaneses company's...IHI Aerospace, Canon Electronics, Shimizu Corporation, and the Development Bank of Japan  :o

Except the Bank  ??? all the other 3 are involved in the space sector...

żA new giant for this emergent and crowded space?

PD: I hope this give motivation to Shimizu for make space hotel  :D

Not really an emergence of a large newspace player. If anything, this is just Canon Electronics moving along in their rocket development and the associated non-technical issues, and interested parties raising their hands, plus an artifact of how companies are incorporated in japan (frequently single purpose subsidiary companies are made to facilitate parent company business activities rather than a direct business division due to the difficulties of changing the articles of incorporation and other factors). It's why the major companies in japan are actually gigantic group companies with very diverse subsidiaries (a real estate subsidiary to manage employee dorms, insurance subsidiary to cover their own employees, travel agencies to handle business trip purchases, etc.)

DBJ is being milked for money, IHI Aerospace is probably building the majority of the rocket so has skin in the game, Canon Electronics is likely providing avionics, and Shimizu is on the tail end because somebody has to build the launchpad.

Shimizu has a reputation of "thinking big" with advanced megaprojects like a lunar solar power ring so they seem space related when at their core they are just a fairly conventional domestic "general contractor" big construction company.

http://www.shimz.co.jp/english/theme/dream/ (http://www.shimz.co.jp/english/theme/dream/)

Their Green Float offshore structure concept is a little bit closer to a practical megastructure proposal (the japanese government is very addicted to big construction projects). They probably have an overstuffed business planning/strategy division that needs to justify its existence, so they have to push out business plans that look "smart" and "forward thinking" to not look like a pack of window seat warmers. That, or they think these materialized thought exercises are actually good practice training for real business plan development, much like MBA case study exercises.


The hard reality is Canon Electronics appears to be bankrolling a JV that they effectively control like a subsidiary, likely as a legal vehicle to insulate themselves for launch liability concerns (various mentions of the new space act law changing liabilities in 2018), and the DBJ wants to "help" a company that is highly cooperative with the government to look like they are hip with the times. Which isn't a great justification for the DBJ when there are smaller groups like Interstellar that have a greater funding need percentage-wise. Interstellar not getting much external investment help from the government is likely punishment for Interstellar being associated with Horie-mon who is clearly anti-establishment (or at least highly disruptive).


There is also the slight taint of scandal with Shinichiro Ota, as some of the mass media press alleged there was "amakudari" involved in him moving from METI to J-Power. "Amakudari" is shorthand japanese for the process where high level career bureaucrats land in cushy private industry positions just after retirement from government (particularly in industries they were previously directly regulating), which some consider to be a signature behavior of the elite establishment who have a tight grip on government and industry. The japanese tabloids regularly have a running rotation of recent amakudari scandals due to the prevalence of such ethically questionable behavior. Whether any of that is actually true or not doesn't matter though in the end, as being a former high level METI man means his rolodex is full of business cards of influential people, which is critical for a business development person helping a startup in regulated industries.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortiium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 09/07/2017 08:17 am
Looks like they are moving forward with launchpad site selection work.

https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXLASGG05H35_V00C17A9MM8000/ (https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXLASGG05H35_V00C17A9MM8000/)


With the heavy government cooperation, a first guess would be Uchinoura?
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortiium to develop small launchers
Post by: john smith 19 on 09/07/2017 08:41 am
Amakudari
I the US and Europe that would roughly be the "revolving door" between career bureaucrats (and sometimes the politicians who head their Ministries) and the companies they nominally regulate or purchase from. The Defense industry is particularly prone to this.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortiium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 01/05/2018 12:27 am
looks like the launchpad will be at the tip of Wakayama prefecture, on a new green field site. Possible tracking assets as well.

https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20171214-00344444-agara-l30 (https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20171214-00344444-agara-l30)

Though when one considers sea and air routes through the area, one wonders how badly the NOTAM's will screw things up, plus the usual fisherman's cooperatives screaming bloody murder...

There is a late rumor that a JAXA propellant demo in the summer of 2017 was done with cooperation of Canon Electronics Inc.

Additional rumor is Canon Electronics Inc. is committing a ¥30000000000 (roughly $300million) warchest to make this business venture happen, which makes sense considering the land purchases and build up, but no further info such as actual production/test facilities.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortiium to develop small launchers
Post by: Tywin on 08/21/2018 06:50 pm
More info about this Japon company, before called:

"New Generation Small Rocket Development Planning Co., Ltd."


This is the union the big four Japanese companys ç:

Quote
Industry sources say Canon Electronics, IHI Aerospace, Shimizu Corporation and the Development Bank of Japan, or DBJ, plan to launch a firm to develop next-generation mini rockets

A previous info here:

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=38583.msg1710545;topicseen#msg1710545

And now a new interview with the president the Canon Electronics:

http://www.the-japan-news.com/news/article/0004658976

The place they found for create her small space port  8) called Kushimoto:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kushimoto,_Wakayama

I'm think so this company will give a lot the good news...
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 08/22/2018 08:15 am
Can we get a mod to add/alter the name of this thread to mention Space One and maybe consolidate some of the other information?

Edit/Lar: Done

http://www.space-one.co.jp/ (http://www.space-one.co.jp/)

So as posted elsewhere here

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=46233.0 (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=46233.0)
Edit/Lar: now a post in this same thread: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43529.msg1849171#msg1849171

There is now an english language translation of a recent interview with the president of Canon Electronics.

http://www.the-japan-news.com/news/article/0004658976 (http://www.the-japan-news.com/news/article/0004658976)


Wakayama is pretty much confirmed for the pad, and the company president says he expected to need ¥20000000000 (approx $200 million) for the venture, which aligns with the $300 million warchest rumor.


One can peruse the following google maps link to look at the shoreline of that tip area, though the proximity of residences/farms/minor resorts and public beaches near any candidate small peninsulas is problematic. Nothing as desolate as RocketLab's pad.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/33%C2%B028'00.0%22N+135%C2%B047'00.0%22E/@33.459037,135.7916907,22430m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d33.466667!4d135.783333?hl=en (https://www.google.com/maps/place/33%C2%B028'00.0%22N+135%C2%B047'00.0%22E/@33.459037,135.7916907,22430m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d33.466667!4d135.783333?hl=en)


Naturally no mention in the interview of fishing cooperatives being one of the great factors behind JAXA having limited launch opportunities, which would be the same here...
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 10/25/2018 07:49 am
Sadly behind the AIAA paywall

 https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2018-4753
 (https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2018-4753)

Canon Electronics provided the low cost solenoid micro-valve for the 0.5N thruster (60g, less than 5W), and also worked on a 4N compatible valve for HNP green monopropellant.


This would suggest a previous rumor about JAXA propellant testing involving Canon Electronics was true, if that meant work on HNP green propellant.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/25/2018 08:29 am
I'm a member of the AIAA, but they want $15 to download that paper! What a ripoff. :-(

Bingo! One of the authors is on Research Gate.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hirohide_Ikeda

The paper hasn't been uploaded, but you can make a request to download the paper.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326262933_Development_Status_of_the_05N_class_Low-Cost_Thruster_for_Small_Satellite

I'll make a request and see what happens.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 03/28/2019 07:22 am
The town of Kushimoto in Wakayama prefecture is officially named for hosting the launchpad, construction starting 2019, finishing 2021 with business (launch?) start. Guess that 2020 launch is a blowout...

https://www.space-one.co.jp/doc/pressrelease190326_en.pdf (https://www.space-one.co.jp/doc/pressrelease190326_en.pdf)

Notably, they list launchpad, rocket assembly building, rocket storage building, payload assembly building, and ancillary buildings.

The press release lists the Tahara area, Kushimoto Town, Higashimuro County, Wakayama Prefecture as the winning site.

 Google maps satview of Tawara/Tahara (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tawara,+Kushimoto,+Higashimuro+District,+Wakayama+649-4112/@33.5329536,135.8688498,8074m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x60063d24341e4465:0xa125518390483269!8m2!3d33.5386564!4d135.870706)


A quick look at the area leaves so many questions though. They are unlikely to locate near the peninsula next to the port, the peninsula at the south end of the coast has a rail line running close by so that's out. My uneducated guess is the small beach spot peninsula at the northern end of the coastline in that district near Ikeshima Island, as the next spot down is too near houses, and the next spot is a national park. Assuming they don't go farther up the coastline there, but I see no roads in the Uragami area along the coast.


The town that lost out in the competition, Nachikatsuura, was probably proposing the Ukui area

Google Satview of Ukui (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tawara,+Kushimoto,+Higashimuro+District,+Wakayama+649-4112/@33.6223618,135.9707444,13638m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x60063d24341e4465:0xa125518390483269!8m2!3d33.5386564!4d135.870706)
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 09/13/2019 09:58 am


Space One appears to have hosted an event in Kushimoto on August 25th called the "Space Symposium in Kushimoto", covered in the following two news articles

https://news.mynavi.jp/article/kushimoto-1/ (https://news.mynavi.jp/article/kushimoto-1/)

https://news.mynavi.jp/article/kushimoto-2/ (https://news.mynavi.jp/article/kushimoto-2/)

No big news, but they had trouble negotiating with 15 local residents to arrange for the spaceport construction/operation (likely the closest residents to the launchpad). Another takeaway is Space One will try to fill some of their initial launches by plying the Canon group for customers indirectly by having Canon Electronics ply group member companies to buy sats from them, and by extension the needed launch services (businesses love a captive audience...)

Space One's president tries to wave off the competitive pressure of Rocket Labs Electron.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: TrevorMonty on 09/14/2019 09:57 pm
Electron isn't only competition, they is Firefly, Relativity, Virgin, few Chinese startups and SpaceX rideshare.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: JEF_300 on 09/14/2019 11:44 pm
Orbex and PLD Space could also be competitors, although I suspect those two will mostly stick to the European market. Maybe Space One will mostly stick to the Japanese market? Does anyone have any insight on the size of the Japanese smallsat market?
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 09/17/2019 12:32 am
Orbex and PLD Space could also be competitors, although I suspect those two will mostly stick to the European market. Maybe Space One will mostly stick to the Japanese market? Does anyone have any insight on the size of the Japanese smallsat market?

I don't have any deep insight, but past launches would suggest japanese payloads have a preference for cheap and non-ITAR regulated. Space One can provide the non-ITAR part, but cheap is another matter. Many past japanese smallsat/cubesat launches were indian rideshare launches, or Dnepr when it was active. There may be some political pressure to fly university/JAXA payloads on a domestic launcher, but nobody who is fully commercial can really justify riding domestic when it costs more (especially if they are newspace startups that have a measure of foreign investment, they will never allow riding on a more expensive rocket for comparable performance/orbit selection).

The good thing going for Space One is that Rocket Labs is now charging more for reusable Electron now, so the price gap is closer now. But they are not flying, and reusable Electron will fly before they even do their first launch, proving reusable Electron flight heritage. Launcher One is going to fly shortly and likely to have several by the time Space One has their first launch, so they will have flight heritage. Whether any of the european newspace launchers who can provide non-ITAR services will fly before before Space One is up for debate, but at least they are showing off their hardware development so you have a sense of progress.

The fact that Space One hasn't even done any PR showcasing hardware is deeply suspicious. Sure, they are not really a venture backed newspace startup, so they have no need to look lively for funding purposes, but people usually like to brag about their accomplishments. Space one is also doing these events, so it's not like they are that tight lipped either. It makes one wonder, have they even finished a PDR yet?
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Tywin on 09/17/2019 03:17 am
They don't even look to have a twitter or other social media account...and her website is very basic...

The good thing about Space One, is they have parents companies, that have deep pockets, so maybe is one of the few small companies that can survive, if the competence drop heavy the price of her launchers...

But we will see how they development...


Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Tywin on 11/18/2019 02:12 am
Cross-post, interesting news about Space One:

A groundbreaking ceremony has been held for what will be Japan's first ever rocket launch site to be operated by a private sector company.
Space One is building the launch site in Kushimoto town, Wakayama Prefecture.


https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191116_19/amp.html?__twitter_impression=true

This site should have similar range of orbits as RL Mahia site. The airtraffic is going be lot higher especially if heading northeast.

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=38583.msg2015876#msg2015876
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: PM3 on 03/04/2020 12:58 pm
Is there anything known about the configuration of this launcher? Number of stages, engine type, payload capability ...?
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 03/05/2020 10:08 pm
Is there anything known about the configuration of this launcher? Number of stages, engine type, payload capability ...?

Rumor mill is 125Kg SSO, likely 3 solid stages due to heavy flight heritage influence from the SS-520-5 flight. Not clear if third stage will be solid with a fourth final liquid kick stage or if third stage will be liquid, due to parallel work on green propellant thrusters.
Title: Space One
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 06/17/2020 09:33 am
This is a Japanese small launch vehicle. Shareholders are Canon Electronics, IHI Aerospace, Shimizu Corporation and Development Bank of Japan. The first three stages are solid with a liquid fourth stage. Mass is 23 t and length is 18 m. Diameter looks to be around 1.5 m. Performance is 150 kg to SSO (500 km) and 240 kg to LEO (300 km, 45°). Launch site is at Tahara.

They had avionics test flights in 2017 and 2018 with a test expected for 2020. Does anyone have any information on these flights? Where they on the Momo flights? First orbital flight is expected next year.

https://www.space-one.co.jp/en/
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: MiqBos on 06/17/2020 09:17 pm
Greetings to everyone,

I'm new to this forum and I'm really interesting in small satellites and rockets. Searching what's available online one of Space One's press releases describes the intended configuration of their rocket:

"Configuration: three solid  propellant stages and a  liquid  propellant kick stage, PBS (Post Boost Stage) Overall length: Approx. 18meters Liftoff mass: Approx. 23metric-tons"

The payload envelope diameter will be 1,15 m, that got me thinking that the actual rocket diameter could be around 1,20-1,40 m. So I think that the third solid stage and the PBS could be related to the upper stages of the Epsilon rocket. The first and second stages might be completely new designs. In my opinion it seems more a "miniEpsilon" than a "maxi-SS520".
Title: Re: Space One
Post by: Asteroza on 06/17/2020 11:07 pm
The test flight were the SS-520 ones, specifically one flight failure due to avionics power line vibration cut, and following one which was an avionics reflight success (the SS-520-5 flight).

Canon Electronics Inc. was involved in valve manufacture for a green propellant test by JAXA according to an academic paper, so some sort of HAN propellant probably for the liquid/kick stage?

The first flight is expected after private launchpad construction, so looking at late 2021. There is a rumor of a ground solid rocket motor test this year however.

Looking back over the various renders and physical models of the launch site showing the surrounding terrain, and the press release planned site map, I think the lanchpad will be located beyond the end of a dead end road with a few houses that leads directly to the beach and coast road, based on the angles and bending valley visuals so that the launchpad proper doesn't have line of site with the houses as it's tucked behind the bend in the valley.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/33%C2%B032'38.4%22N+135%C2%B053'22.5%22E/@33.5440045,135.8873946,1773m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d33.544!4d135.8895833 (https://www.google.com/maps/place/33%C2%B032'38.4%22N+135%C2%B053'22.5%22E/@33.5440045,135.8873946,1773m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d33.544!4d135.8895833)

Use the google maps terrain layer to see the valley bend.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: JEF_300 on 06/18/2020 03:01 am
Greetings to everyone,

I'm new to this forum and I'm really interesting in small satellites and rockets. Searching what's available online one of Space One's press releases describes the intended configuration of their rocket:

"Configuration: three solid  propellant stages and a  liquid  propellant kick stage, PBS (Post Boost Stage) Overall length: Approx. 18meters Liftoff mass: Approx. 23metric-tons"

The payload envelope diameter will be 1,15 m, that got me thinking that the actual rocket diameter could be around 1,20-1,40 m. So I think that the third solid stage and the PBS could be related to the upper stages of the Epsilon rocket. The first and second stages might be completely new designs. In my opinion it seems more a "miniEpsilon" than a "maxi-SS520".

Welcome to the forum! I think we're all happy anyone joins, but you've arrived bearing good information, so I'm doubly happy to welcome you.

I'm very dubious that a solid-based smallsat launcher has any kind of future in the market, but I like solid rockets, I like Japanese rockets, and I also just think it looks good. I'm rooting for them. Maybe they can find a niche in Japan.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: MiqBos on 06/19/2020 06:27 am
Hello everyone,

I did find more renders and more images of the "Space Port Kii" that Space One is building in Kushimoto.

Comparing the render to a satellite image we can pinpoint the location of the different buildings. The launchpad is being build just north-west to the road with houses (the properties has been bought by the company), around the coordinates 33,544503, 135,889963.

They are also building a road to the north-west connecting with the highway 42. Close to the main road is where they are going to build the command building at a a safe 1 km distance form the launchpad (around coordinates 33,550978, 135,879590). Translation is not clear but seems to indicate that they will integrate the payloads also in this building.

Construction is well underway, images show that much of the earthworks has been done. But I've also found some news stating that construction works have stopped due tho the pandemic. I'm not sure how it will delay the project or if they are stopped right now.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: MiqBos on 06/19/2020 06:44 am
Just a couple of photos of the assembly building and launchpad model.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: john smith 19 on 06/19/2020 08:51 am
I'm very dubious that a solid-based smallsat launcher has any kind of future in the market, but I like solid rockets, I like Japanese rockets, and I also just think it looks good. I'm rooting for them. Maybe they can find a niche in Japan.
Yes. Consider the current Pegasus XL. $40m for 443Kg to LEO.  It's been a while since that launched.

Solids make great weapon systems though.

The only justification for a solid  systems seem to be a) You have in house skills (probably because you're already a defense contractor) b) You plan to stitch a bunch of them from someone else together (as Orbital did) so its the cheap option c)You want to start a covert ICBM programme.

Does Cannon have a division that already builds missiles?
Option b puts your prices at the mercy of your main suppliers
Option C makes some sense if you think that Japan is very worried by North Korean missile and nuclear testing.

Solids only really win for a)Batch production (like for ICBMs) with b) Long delays before or between launches (like ICBM's and other missiles).

Somehow they never work out as cheap as people hope.  :(
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 06/19/2020 08:52 am
The northside vehicular site entrance from Route 42 as a handy google link

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5506533,135.8772597,3a,75y,80.58h,96.98t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s4jT65WUQC3M8_rEbNYYR7A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192 (https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5506533,135.8772597,3a,75y,80.58h,96.98t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s4jT65WUQC3M8_rEbNYYR7A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192)

and the approximate pad as a link, sadly the overhead imagery hasn't been updated lately

https://www.google.com/maps/place/33%C2%B032'38.4%22N+135%C2%B053'22.5%22E/@33.5446623,135.8876575,1491m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d33.544!4d135.8895833 (https://www.google.com/maps/place/33%C2%B032'38.4%22N+135%C2%B053'22.5%22E/@33.5446623,135.8876575,1491m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d33.544!4d135.8895833)
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 06/19/2020 09:19 am
I'm very dubious that a solid-based smallsat launcher has any kind of future in the market, but I like solid rockets, I like Japanese rockets, and I also just think it looks good. I'm rooting for them. Maybe they can find a niche in Japan.
Yes. Consider the current Pegasus XL. $40m for 443Kg to LEO.  It's been a while since that launched.

Solids make great weapon systems though.

The only justification for a solid  systems seem to be a) You have in house skills (probably because you're already a defense contractor) b) You plan to stitch a bunch of them from someone else together (as Orbital did) so its the cheap option c)You want to start a covert ICBM programme.

Does Cannon have a division that already builds missiles?
Option b puts your prices at the mercy of your main suppliers
Option C makes some sense if you think that Japan is very worried by North Korean missile and nuclear testing.

Solids only really win for a)Batch production (like for ICBMs) with b) Long delays before or between launches (like ICBM's and other missiles).

Somehow they never work out as cheap as people hope.  :(

Option B, as IHI Aerospace is making the solid rocket motor portion. Whether there is back room METI/MoD dealings to sustain the industrial base is a different issue. Epsilon (and now Epsilon S) according to some defense hawk interpretations is an ICBM manufacturing demo program. There were similar murmurs that this rocket could be used as an ASAT launcher, but then the obvious question is where's the payload/seeker/warhead?

Canon Electronics Inc. president had previously stated that they will not produce military systems though. The Canon group does not make missiles, and as far as I am aware don't make (obvious) missile components. There are some people who were formerly employed at IHI Aerospace, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and other defense contractors who are with Canon electronics Inc. now though.

The better question is, with Epsilon S rolling up with 500kg SSO range, that makes the market for a 100-150kg SSO rocket smaller, at least for japanese domestic payloads. Batch SRM production to cut costs requires a fairly large manifest (and to be fair, they allegedly want to launch up to 20 times a year once production is in full swing), but so far no launch manifest has been disclosed that could sustain that. Spaceflight's CEO may have misspoken recently, but he seemed to suggest that Canon Electronics Inc. is starting their own earth observation constellation, and Canon Electronics Inc. themselves do claim CE-SAT-1B is a mass production prototype sat. So if they are launching their own earth observation constellation, that might cover some of the early launch manifest and provide launch reliability proof to get others to ride with them, but they themselves have not announced a constellation.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: MiqBos on 06/19/2020 10:24 am
and the approximate pad as a link, sadly the overhead imagery hasn't been updated lately

Here's a more recent view:

https://satellites.pro/Japan_map#33.549657,135.880966,15 (https://satellites.pro/Japan_map#33.549657,135.880966,15)

Where do you think the tracking station might be located? The lodges/camping to the south west of the site appear to be also closed on Google's rather recent Street View (maybe bought by the company?). This area is 1 km away from the launchpad and appears to have clear view of the possible rocket's path. Or maybe it should be on the top of one of the nearby hills?


Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: russianhalo117 on 06/20/2020 06:28 am
I'm very dubious that a solid-based smallsat launcher has any kind of future in the market, but I like solid rockets, I like Japanese rockets, and I also just think it looks good. I'm rooting for them. Maybe they can find a niche in Japan.
Yes. Consider the current Pegasus XL. $40m for 443Kg to LEO.  It's been a while since that launched.

Solids make great weapon systems though.

The only justification for a solid  systems seem to be a) You have in house skills (probably because you're already a defense contractor) b) You plan to stitch a bunch of them from someone else together (as Orbital did) so its the cheap option c)You want to start a covert ICBM programme.

Does Cannon have a division that already builds missiles?
Option b puts your prices at the mercy of your main suppliers
Option C makes some sense if you think that Japan is very worried by North Korean missile and nuclear testing.

Solids only really win for a)Batch production (like for ICBMs) with b) Long delays before or between launches (like ICBM's and other missiles).

Somehow they never work out as cheap as people hope.  :(

Option B, as IHI Aerospace is making the solid rocket motor portion. Whether there is back room METI/MoD dealings to sustain the industrial base is a different issue. Epsilon (and now Epsilon S) according to some defense hawk interpretations is an ICBM manufacturing demo program. There were similar murmurs that this rocket could be used as an ASAT launcher, but then the obvious question is where's the payload/seeker/warhead?

Canon Electronics Inc. president had previously stated that they will not produce military systems though. The Canon group does not make missiles, and as far as I am aware don't make (obvious) missile components. There are some people who were formerly employed at IHI Aerospace, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and other defense contractors who are with Canon electronics Inc. now though.

The better question is, with Epsilon S rolling up with 500kg SSO range, that makes the market for a 100-150kg SSO rocket smaller, at least for japanese domestic payloads. Batch SRM production to cut costs requires a fairly large manifest (and to be fair, they allegedly want to launch up to 20 times a year once production is in full swing), but so far no launch manifest has been disclosed that could sustain that. Spaceflight's CEO may have misspoken recently, but he seemed to suggest that Canon Electronics Inc. is starting their own earth observation constellation, and Canon Electronics Inc. themselves do claim CE-SAT-1B is a mass production prototype sat. So if they are launching their own earth observation constellation, that might cover some of the early launch manifest and provide launch reliability proof to get others to ride with them, but they themselves have not announced a constellation.
Epsilon-S is a Joint synergy project with H-3 between IHI and MHI with funding via JAXA. Just as Ariane-6 and Vega-C and the phased upgrade paths. For SRB-3 it will have the most produced.

I consider Space One to be an orbital version of a JCR/TT-500A or TR-1 class launcher at minimum.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: gosnold on 06/21/2020 01:46 pm
Spaceflight's CEO may have misspoken recently, but he seemed to suggest that Canon Electronics Inc. is starting their own earth observation constellation, and Canon Electronics Inc. themselves do claim CE-SAT-1B is a mass production prototype sat. So if they are launching their own earth observation constellation, that might cover some of the early launch manifest and provide launch reliability proof to get others to ride with them, but they themselves have not announced a constellation.

For an observation constellation, you don't want a 150kg-class vehicle, you want to launch a full plane each time, that's cheaper. So something like Epsilon would make a lot more sense once past the prototype stage.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 06/22/2020 01:32 am
and the approximate pad as a link, sadly the overhead imagery hasn't been updated lately

Here's a more recent view:

https://satellites.pro/Japan_map#33.549657,135.880966,15 (https://satellites.pro/Japan_map#33.549657,135.880966,15)

Where do you think the tracking station might be located? The lodges/camping to the south west of the site appear to be also closed on Google's rather recent Street View (maybe bought by the company?). This area is 1 km away from the launchpad and appears to have clear view of the possible rocket's path. Or maybe it should be on the top of one of the nearby hills?

https://satellites.pro/Japan_map#33.544681,135.889938,19 (https://satellites.pro/Japan_map#33.544681,135.889938,19) pretty clearly shows the water retention pond from the models, but that's just earthmoving. The pad hill hasn't been leveled yet. Shimizu construction had put a national stop to projects due to COVID-19, though notably after several people got infected (I think an employee died?) but with all national restrictions released, I imagine they'll be back to digging again.

The camping lodge probably wouldn't have line of sight to the pad due to elevation and the valley protecting the launchpad. Everything along the south access road with the farm houses is not safe though (but previous renders show them not present so assume scheduled for demolition).

There's been no recent info about tracking station emplacement however. It would help to be on top of a ridgeline to have maximum line of sight to the horizon, unless they are going to depend on JAXA tracking facilities elsewhere.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 06/22/2020 01:55 am
Spaceflight's CEO may have misspoken recently, but he seemed to suggest that Canon Electronics Inc. is starting their own earth observation constellation, and Canon Electronics Inc. themselves do claim CE-SAT-1B is a mass production prototype sat. So if they are launching their own earth observation constellation, that might cover some of the early launch manifest and provide launch reliability proof to get others to ride with them, but they themselves have not announced a constellation.

For an observation constellation, you don't want a 150kg-class vehicle, you want to launch a full plane each time, that's cheaper. So something like Epsilon would make a lot more sense once past the prototype stage.

Allegedly they are also working on a smaller satellite design, larger than cubesat but smaller than CE-SAT-1B. This might be CE-SAT-2B, it isn't clear. But a smaller design would allow cluster launches, provided they have a means of propulsion to spread out along the plane, or expect the liquid kick stage to do that for them.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: MiqBos on 06/22/2020 03:31 pm
Allegedly they are also working on a smaller satellite design, larger than cubesat but smaller than CE-SAT-1B. This might be CE-SAT-2B, it isn't clear. But a smaller design would allow cluster launches, provided they have a means of propulsion to spread out along the plane, or expect the liquid kick stage to do that for them.

On their global website Canon states that tehir are developing a smaller satellite called CE-SAT-III, which seems to be a 3U CubeSat: https://global.canon/en/technology/frontier13.html (https://global.canon/en/technology/frontier13.html)

IHI Aerospace has the know-how in inserting different payloads using the kick stage. They did it on the 4th Epislon launch. There is more info in this paper: https://www.eucass.eu/doi/EUCASS2019-0370.pdf (https://www.eucass.eu/doi/EUCASS2019-0370.pdf)

Quote
For the rideshare mission, Flight  Software (FSW) was improved so that number of guidance steps can be chosen in order  to  inject  each  payloads  into  individual  orbits.  Moreover,  the  newly  developed  guidance  mode,  the  relative altitude  guidance  mode,  was  applied  to  the  fourth  Epsilon.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 06/23/2020 12:31 am
It's nice that they are trying to shift to remote sensing data sales as their primary income stream, but that's a hard fight against established oldspace and newspace alike. PlanetLabs in particular would their biggest competitor, and they have a constellation up now and are in mass production of 3U class sats. As far as anyone can see, Canon Electronics Inc. has yet to publicly demonstrate they actually have mass production capability and are not a boutique/bespoke/hand manufacturing operation. Also, to do data sales you need a good data management team, a good image analysis team, and a good customer interface team...
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: JEF_300 on 06/23/2020 02:24 am
It's nice that they are trying to shift to remote sensing data sales as their primary income stream, but that's a hard fight against established oldspace and newspace alike. PlanetLabs in particular would their biggest competitor, and they have a constellation up now and are in mass production of 3U class sats. As far as anyone can see, Canon Electronics Inc. has yet to publicly demonstrate they actually have mass production capability and are not a boutique/bespoke/hand manufacturing operation. Also, to do data sales you need a good data management team, a good image analysis team, and a good customer interface team...

I guess the question is whether or not they can get better quality data than the competitors, because I agree that it's otherwise very unlikely they'll break into this market. But we are talking about Canon here, so I'd say it's not unreasonable to expect better image quality. There may be something to this.
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 08/27/2020 01:23 am
Rumor mill states the first flight has been delayed by at least a year, but the first payload has been secured (appears to not be a "traditional" commercial customer, so probably government). Also lots of related engineers have quit over the last year, probably because the pay/equity is better...
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: dirg_rocketdyne on 08/30/2020 12:08 pm
Hello,

I wote Blog about "Japan CSICE Cabinet Satellite Intelligence Center's short-launch small satellite will be launched on the Canon Electronics & Space One's 1st rocket ?" check it.

http://orbitseals.blogspot.com/2020/08/1japan-csice-satellite-rocket.html
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 02/04/2021 04:58 am
Looks like someone snapped a ground view pic of the spaceport on google maps, not much but it shows progress...

link (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Space+Port+Kii/@33.5447491,135.8895714,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipN48RdScjGf2hMJKacibrurUANT1NsOkVNfo6QK!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipN48RdScjGf2hMJKacibrurUANT1NsOkVNfo6QK%3Dw358-h298-k-no!7i1911!8i1588!4m15!1m7!3m6!1s0x6000b28519bc7e79:0x8fce76d4fd4f71ca!2sWakayama!3b1!8m2!3d34.2303678!4d135.1707405!3m6!1s0x60063d998c7a1171:0xd492f1b307042110!8m2!3d33.5447491!4d135.8895714!14m1!1BCgIgARICGAI)
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: MiqBos on 06/08/2021 06:15 am
There are new satellite images available in Google Maps. The launch site seems to be almost finished.
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5450305,135.8883529,570m/data=!3m1!1e3 (https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5450305,135.8883529,570m/data=!3m1!1e3)
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 06/09/2021 12:36 am
The pace of launchpad construction seems to have slowed though from visual inspection.  Space One and friends are naturally tight lipped about the whole enterprise though. One would naturally wonder if the slowdown is due to external factors like COVID, or something internal...

In other rumors, allegedly a CE-SAT 1D and 1E are being prepared. 1D is another dev sat with a new in-house hyperspectral sensor, and 1E is the "final, serious, we really mean it, ver new new" mass production demo sat for the CE-SAT 1 series. Launch provider oddly wasn't mentioned.

Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Galactic Penguin SST on 06/18/2021 11:59 am
The rocket has been given the name KAIROS (Kii-based Advanced & Instant ROcket System), where the Kii Peninsula south of Osaka being where they are going to launch from.

https://www.space-one.co.jp/doc/pressrelease210618.pdf (https://www.space-one.co.jp/doc/pressrelease210618.pdf)
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 06/29/2021 12:20 am
Oh wow, the rumor mill just dropped a bunch of juicy tidbits, but most of them are so serious I don't think I can safely relay all of them.

What I can relay is the rumor mill is reporting rocket flight will probably be pushed back to 2023, and I quote, "curb your expectations".
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: LH2NHI on 07/01/2021 02:26 pm
Space One rocket motor test was conducted at JAXA Noshiro solid rocket test site.
https://www.sakigake.jp/news/article/20210701AK0027/

This is an article by the local media, but the official announcement from Space One has not yet been made.
(Even if Space One relies on government demand, it's hard to understand that they don't give out any information so far.
It's the exact opposite of a typical venture that has a lot of technical challenges but doesn't miss advertising.......)
Title: Re: Space One - Canon led consortium to develop small launchers
Post by: Asteroza on 08/02/2021 01:00 am
Space One rocket motor test was conducted at JAXA Noshiro solid rocket test site.
https://www.sakigake.jp/news/article/20210701AK0027/

This is an article by the local media, but the official announcement from Space One has not yet been made.
(Even if Space One relies on government demand, it's hard to understand that they don't give out any information so far.
It's the exact opposite of a typical venture that has a lot of technical challenges but doesn't miss advertising.......)

If I understand correctly, this was a third stage motor test.
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: dirg_rocketdyne on 08/06/2021 09:01 am
Hello,

I estimated the performance of KAIROS based on publicly available information.

Since the diameter was estimated from the appearance information, φ1.35-1.4m was selected.
However, via a newspaper, it is reported to be 1.35m in diameter in July 2021.
So this is a rough estimate.

The following blog discloses the details, including the reasons for the approximate values.


http://orbitseals.blogspot.com/2020/07/space-one-ihi-space-one-rocket-launch.html

Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Galactic Penguin SST on 12/11/2021 01:11 pm
First launch is now NET late 2022:

https://twitter.com/47news/status/1469587043332554752?s=21
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Asteroza on 12/13/2021 12:59 am
It's very telling that they say rocket #1, not KAIROS #1...
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Asteroza on 01/05/2022 03:15 am
Looks like they had a test run of the first stage motor with TVC recently...

http://kyodoshi.com/article/11047 (http://kyodoshi.com/article/11047)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUw5bT-myIg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUw5bT-myIg)


They seem to make a big deal about the TVC, even though the rumor is the in-house TVC effort was stopped...
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Asteroza on 03/29/2022 04:13 am
Not sure if Kairos related or not, but a little birdie said to pay attention to Spaceport America for some reason...
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Asteroza on 04/08/2022 01:14 am
It's very telling that they say rocket #1, not KAIROS #1...


The rumor mill regarding Kairos had mixed signals for a while now, as there were conflicting rocket specs and information. Now we know why.


"There is another..."
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Asteroza on 10/25/2022 08:04 am
Apparently employees in public forums have announced February 2023 for first launch. They are close to the finish line, but I still expect that date to slip a little.

Apparently there was another test burn completed this month.
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: PM3 on 10/25/2022 08:24 am
Apparently employees in public forums have announced February 2023 for first launch. They are close to the finish line, but I still expect that date to slip a little.

Launch of Kairos, or the above mentioned "Rocket #1"? Orbital launch, or suborbital test? Could you quote/link one of these public forum posts?
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Asteroza on 10/25/2022 10:37 pm
Apparently employees in public forums have announced February 2023 for first launch. They are close to the finish line, but I still expect that date to slip a little.

Launch of Kairos, or the above mentioned "Rocket #1"? Orbital launch, or suborbital test? Could you quote/link one of these public forum posts?

Public forum meaning a seminar or event, don't have a link to coverage unfortunately. Unconfirmed , but this appears to be the full Kairos rocket, so should be a full up orbital attempt with all the solid stages, but no confirmation on the kick/upper stage presence.
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Asteroza on 10/26/2022 01:35 am
Found an article+video of the launch (delay) announcement.

https://www.agara.co.jp/article/232303 (https://www.agara.co.jp/article/232303)

Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Galactic Penguin SST on 12/22/2022 12:26 pm
This seems to be a relatively recent visit to the launch site?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLOn9HPdiP0
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: PM3 on 02/08/2023 06:37 am
Apparently employees in public forums have announced February 2023 for first launch. They are close to the finish line, but I still expect that date to slip a little.

It is February. Any news from the rumour mill?
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Alexander Tli on 02/08/2023 12:39 pm
 NET Summer 2023

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/wakayama/20230131/2040013760.html
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Asteroza on 02/08/2023 10:01 pm
Horiemon taking some swipes (see part 9 of the text)

https://ch.nicovideo.jp/horiemon/blomaga/ar2138190 (https://ch.nicovideo.jp/horiemon/blomaga/ar2138190)


KAIROS avionics were being done by Canon Electronics, but for "reasons", Space One pushed it out to a third party, since Space One has many older IHI refugees who are on cruise control to retirement so can't develop it themselves. The switch over to another avionics maker was pretty late in the game, and on top of that there were unrealistic deadlines (well for oldspace, for a real newspace startup it might have been possible), plus the third party supposedly is in the subcontractor ecosystem surrounding IHI. The situation is increasingly looking like an oldspace company in newspace clothing.

Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Asteroza on 02/10/2023 12:55 am
Orbitseals blog made a nice blogpost back in december putting together available data on Kairos in english and japanese

https://orbitseals.blogspot.com/2022/12/space-one-2-space-one-kairos-rocket.html#english (https://orbitseals.blogspot.com/2022/12/space-one-2-space-one-kairos-rocket.html#english)


3 solid stages plus liquid post boost stage. The author speculates on whether it's an all carbon composite SRM case or not. There was a previous rumor that JAXA/METI had been putting some pressure on Space One to pursue an all composite case, so that might actually be real.
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: LH2NHI on 04/30/2023 01:47 am
(It's a very interesting story, but you have to consider that Horiemon is the founder of Space One's rival, IST.
IST needs to show that they are the "true" New Space.
Also, if the launch delay was caused by changes in onboard electronic components, recertification after the arrival of the components would take time.
In that case, it is unlikely that launch preparations will be decided as soon as the parts arrive.
I think it's easier to understand if you think of it as a shortage of general-purpose products that do not require such certification tests.)

Horiemon taking some swipes (see part 9 of the text)

https://ch.nicovideo.jp/horiemon/blomaga/ar2138190 (https://ch.nicovideo.jp/horiemon/blomaga/ar2138190)

KAIROS avionics were being done by Canon Electronics, but for "reasons", Space One pushed it out to a third party, since Space One has many older IHI refugees who are on cruise control to retirement so can't develop it themselves. The switch over to another avionics maker was pretty late in the game, and on top of that there were unrealistic deadlines (well for oldspace, for a real newspace startup it might have been possible), plus the third party supposedly is in the subcontractor ecosystem surrounding IHI. The situation is increasingly looking like an oldspace company in newspace clothing.


By the way, the website of Space One has been updated, and it seems that the launch CG and the diagram of the satellite loading part have been posted.
https://www.space-one.co.jp/vehicle/

Length:18m,Mass 23t
Diameter1.35m,PLF1.5m,3stage solid+Liquid PBS
CFRP motor case and all stage have TVC

SSO 500km 97deg,150kg
LEO 500km 33deg,250kg

However, the launch date is still unclear. It should have been announced before that it will indicate the time when it can be launched in April...
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Asteroza on 09/24/2023 11:27 pm
Apparently Space One did another one of their "symposium" events in Wakayama again for the benefit of the local public.

The first Kairos launch has been put off to an indeterminate date, and "we'll tell you when we are 3 months away or so".

Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Tywin on 01/08/2024 01:48 pm
Any news? will launch this year?
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Asteroza on 01/10/2024 02:24 am
Any news? will launch this year?

There's noises they might, but the current bottleneck is avionics/TVC. Apparently parts of it are being redone again...
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Galactic Penguin SST on 01/23/2024 06:40 am
NHK has picked up some local rumors of this rocket finally flying this March. No idea how close to that is true.

https://twitter.com/nhk_bknews/status/1749557685865832578
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: edkyle99 on 01/27/2024 01:28 pm
Here's the English version of the vehicle specifications page.  Bad format, but readable.

 - Ed Kyle
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Asteroza on 01/30/2024 02:56 am
Looks like the spaceport operator support group has a website now?

https://wakayama-rocket.com/ (https://wakayama-rocket.com/)


You know it's getting real if they roped JTB into doing package tour stuff for a launch viewing.

Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: edkyle99 on 03/07/2024 03:58 pm
Would love to know the thrust and burn times of the stages.  I've read somewhere that during a ground test Stage 3 thrust was around 9 tonnes with a 70 second burn time. 

One near-analog to Kairos would be Pegasus XL, which weighs about the same and has the same 3-solid + liquid PBS setup.  Pegasus XL diameter is 1.28 m.  Kairos is 1.35 m.

 - Ed Kyle
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: LH2NHI on 03/08/2024 11:12 pm
Would love to know the thrust and burn times of the stages.  I've read somewhere that during a ground test Stage 3 thrust was around 9 tonnes with a 70 second burn time. 

One near-analog to Kairos would be Pegasus XL, which weighs about the same and has the same 3-solid + liquid PBS setup.  Pegasus XL diameter is 1.28 m.  Kairos is 1.35 m.

 - Ed Kyle

The launch sequence is shown below.
This is information from NVS, an organization of space enthusiasts who went to the site as a member of the press.
Stage1 motor burn time: 90s
Stage2 motor burn time: 70s
Stage3 motor burn time: 60s
Stage1/2 Sep:T+130s
Stage2/3 Sep:T+280s
Stage3/4 Sep:T+480s
Satellite Sep:T+3100s

https://x.com/nvslive/status/1763625831140831594?s=20


Based on this information and assuming that motor combustion starts immediately after separation, the sequence is as follows.
Liftoff:T+0s
Stage1 motor burnout: T+90s
Stage1/2 Sep:T+130s
Stage2 motor burnout: T+200s
Stage2/3 Sep:T+280s
Stage3 motor burnout: T+340s
Stage3/4 Sep:T+480s
Satellite Sep:T+3100s


Since Flight1 is an SSO Mission, the sequence may differ depending on the mission.
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: LH2NHI on 03/08/2024 11:46 pm
It appears that the Japanese Ministry of Defense has signed a contract with Space One for an enhanced version of the Kairos rocket (equipped with a Metalox upper stage!)

”Japan's Ministry of Defense has contracted Space One Corporation for research into improving the capabilities of rocket upper stages, including methane engines.
This project aims to increase the launch capacity of domestic small rockets that will also contribute to the construction of various satellite constellations, and to improve the accuracy of satellite insertion into target orbits.”

https://x.com/ModJapan_jp/status/1766024283556544663?s=20
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Asteroza on 03/10/2024 09:34 pm
It appears that the Japanese Ministry of Defense has signed a contract with Space One for an enhanced version of the Kairos rocket (equipped with a Metalox upper stage!)

”Japan's Ministry of Defense has contracted Space One Corporation for research into improving the capabilities of rocket upper stages, including methane engines.
This project aims to increase the launch capacity of domestic small rockets that will also contribute to the construction of various satellite constellations, and to improve the accuracy of satellite insertion into target orbits.”

https://x.com/ModJapan_jp/status/1766024283556544663?s=20


Announcing a substantial performance boost/vehicle change near the first flight of the basic version does not have good PR optics.

But the curious part will be who is the source of the methalox upperstage engine? Will it be home grown within Space One, or sourced from IHI Aerospace perhaps?

Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Asteroza on 03/13/2024 02:31 am
https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/japans-space-one-counts-down-inaugural-kairos-rocket-launch-2024-03-12/ (https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/japans-space-one-counts-down-inaugural-kairos-rocket-launch-2024-03-12/)

Interesting blurb is there were already launch orders for two more rockets prior to today's launch failure, with one being an overseas (non-japanese?) payload.
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: edkyle99 on 03/13/2024 12:51 pm
Odd that during the inaugural launch webcast they showed the KAIROS diameter as 1.4 meters.  Their website also has been updated to 1.4 meters where it previously showed 1.35 meters.  Rounding up, or is the thing actually 5 centimeters (almost 2 inches) fatter now? 

 - Ed Kyle
Title: Re: Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle
Post by: Zed_Noir on 03/13/2024 02:13 pm
Odd that during the inaugural launch webcast they showed the KAIROS diameter as 1.4 meters.  Their website also has been updated to 1.4 meters where it previously showed 1.35 meters.  Rounding up, or is the thing actually 5 centimeters (almost 2 inches) fatter now? 

 - Ed Kyle

Might be some protrusion like hatch cover, antenna dome, external piping or something else that wasn't the same as before. The airframe probably didn't get wider.