Space One - KAIROS small launch vehicle

[Alexander Tli]

 NET Summer 2023

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/wakayama/20230131/2040013760.html

[Asteroza]

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

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.

[Asteroza]

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


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.

[LH2NHI]

(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

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...

[Asteroza]

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".

[Tywin]

Any news? will launch this year?

[Asteroza]

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...

[Galactic Penguin SST]

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

[edkyle99]

Here's the English version of the vehicle specifications page.  Bad format, but readable.

 - Ed Kyle

[Asteroza]

Looks like the spaceport operator support group has a website now?

https://wakayama-rocket.com/


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

[edkyle99]

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

[LH2NHI]

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.

[LH2NHI]

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

[Asteroza]

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?

[Asteroza]

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.

[edkyle99]

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

[Zed_Noir]

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.