Author Topic: FAILURE: SS-520-4 (JAXA's nanosat launcher) - TRICOM-1 Jan. 14, 2017 (23:33 UTC)  (Read 82631 times)

Offline ZachS09

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That's what it looked like to me from the launch video. It seems to cut off when the plume was still quite bright, and then nothing. Yeah it was pretty high, but we could still see it going up, and then the plume just suddenly stopped.

That's what was supposed to happen. Second stage ignition was supposed to be 2 minutes 28 seconds after first stage burn out (at X+3 minutes) at an altitude of 179 km. I think you'd need to have very good eyes to see that occur! Unfortunately, they lost telemetry 20 seconds after launch, so they couldn't determine if the first stage had performed correctly. Their launch procedure was to send a signal at X+2m 44s to enable second stage ignition if the trajectory was within parameters. Being ultra cautious, they decided not to send the signal as they did not have enough information on the state of the vehicle. I would have sent the signal anyway. :-)

Is it legal to send the signal according to range safety rules?

It's only legal to send the signal if abiding by the range safety rules, but illegal if sending the signal without permission.
Liftoff for St. Jude's! Go Dragon, Go Falcon, Godspeed Inspiration4!

Offline tul

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A question here: Last time Japan launched the SS-520 was  almost 16 years ago. How is it still possible to produce a second stage? Or was there a second stage kept in storage? ??? ???

Offline edkyle99

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Sharp SS-520-4 launch image from ISAS.
http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/en/topics/000827.html

Despite Super Strypi and SS-520, the sounding-rocket-to-orbit dream remains unrealized.

 - Ed Kyle
« Last Edit: 01/16/2017 08:52 pm by edkyle99 »

Offline Katana

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Sharp SS-520-4 launch image from ISAS.
http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/en/topics/000827.html

Despite Super Strypi and SS-520, the sounding-rocket-to-orbit dream remains unrealized.

 - Ed Kyle
The only sounding-rocket-to-orbit: the old L-4S?

Online jacqmans

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January 15, 2017 (JST)

SS-520 No. 4 Launch Results

At 8:33 a.m., (Japan Standard Time) January 15, 2017, SS-520 No. 4, JAXA's sounding rocket launched from the Uchinoura Space Center. Through SS-520 No. 4 launch, JAXA sought for research and development of launch vehicles and satellites and the launch
demonstration of TRICOM-1, its onboard nanosat that weighs about 3 kilograms. The launch was part of Japanese government's program for development of launch vehicles and satellites in public-private partnerships. 

The first stage flight of SS-520 No. 4 proceeded according to schedule. Thereafter, however, ground teams could not receive telemetry from the launch vehicle and the call was made to abort the second stage ignition.
JAXA tracked the launch vehicle and confirmed that it fell into the south eastern ocean off the Uchinoura Space Center, within the projected drop area. 


URL:
http://global.jaxa.jp/press/2017/01/20170115_ss-520-4.html


National Research and Development Agency Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Jacques :-)

Offline Steven Pietrobon

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Does anyone know if there is going to another SS-520 orbital attempt? Would hate to see this vehicle added to the inglorious list of launch vehicles with 100% failure rates.
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline Star One

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Does anyone know if there is going to another SS-520 orbital attempt? Would hate to see this vehicle added to the inglorious list of launch vehicles with 100% failure rates.

They articles I've read said it was a one off experimental vehicle.

Offline mrhuggy

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Jaxa is having a press briefing on Monday about the failure. They will be a live stream - 

Offline yoichi

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The cause is power loss, there is a high possibility of a short circuit around the cable duct.

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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JAXA plans to finish replacement rocket by Autumn:

Quote
Japan's space agency to try again with minirocket launch in 2017 http://s.nikkei.com/2lG3FTM

https://twitter.com/nar/status/830967572782673920


Offline Asteroza

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External report PDF on FTA of incident, with money shot of abrasion protection for the main cables running down the external cable duct through an S-turn appearing to be inadequate.

http://fanfun.jaxa.jp/jaxatv/files/20170213_ss-520-4.pdf

Nikkei outs Canon Electronics Inc. as the avionics maker, which connects with the rumor mill that IHI Aerospace were hanging the avionics maker out to dry. JAXA will permit reflight (not originally scheduled, as it was supposed to be a oneoff), which connects with the rumor that Canon Electronics Inc. will be footing the bill for reflight as they seem to heavily desire avionics flight success record for reasons...

http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXLZO12795920Q7A210C1TI1000/


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