The Japanese Ministry of education and Science (MEXT) has published a number of documents on the SS-520-4 nanosat launcher. Apparently the fourth SS-520 sounding rocket will be fitted with an additional 3rd stage to put a 4 kg CubeSat called TRICOM-1 into orbit og 180 km x 1500 km x 31°.I could not figure out, if there is a scheduled launch date, but as the serial number of launcher (SS-520-4)is given, this project appears to be pretty advanced. Perhaps someone with Japanese language skills can figure out more.http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/shingi/gijyutu/gijyutu2/060/shiryo/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2016/06/09/1371895_4.pdf http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/shingi/gijyutu/gijyutu2/060/shiryo/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2016/06/09/1371895_5.pdf http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/shingi/gijyutu/gijyutu2/060/shiryo/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2016/06/09/1371895_6.pdfhttp://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/shingi/gijyutu/gijyutu2/060/shiryo/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2016/06/09/1371895_7.pdf
The question is how much does LV cost?. $250k is going list price for 3U launch on
Quote from: TrevorMonty on 11/25/2016 03:42 pmThe question is how much does LV cost?. $250k is going list price for 3U launch on As it is a one-off demonstration mission with no follow-on flights planned, the launch price is not really relevant.
If I'm reading that diagram correctly, then at 9.54 m length x 0.52 m diameter this would be the smallest orbital launch vehicle ever designed! It sounds similar in concept to the mothballed Indonesian RPS-420, though that intended to launch up to 50 kg by using side boosters.
Quote from: IanO on 11/25/2016 09:21 pmIf I'm reading that diagram correctly, then at 9.54 m length x 0.52 m diameter this would be the smallest orbital launch vehicle ever designed! It sounds similar in concept to the mothballed Indonesian RPS-420, though that intended to launch up to 50 kg by using side boosters.well it is a modified sounding rocket after all.
Quote from: Skyrocket on 11/25/2016 03:44 pmQuote from: TrevorMonty on 11/25/2016 03:42 pmThe question is how much does LV cost?. $250k is going list price for 3U launch on As it is a one-off demonstration mission with no follow-on flights planned, the launch price is not really relevant.Here is an old, 2009 slide deck that talks about commercialization strategy. Not sure how relevant anymore.
As of right now, there are two or three launch pads at the Uchinoura Space Center. Which one will SS-520-4 take off from?KAPPA/LAMBDA PAD (31.2523 N, 131.0785 E)MU/M-V/EPSILON PAD (31.251 N, 131.082 E)TEMPORARY PAD (31.2527 N, 131.0754 E)Use Google Maps or Google Earth to search for these pad coordinates.