M-V

M-V

M-V

The third M-V launches with the ASTRO-E spacecraft. The rocket later failed due to engine problems

Fact sheet

Function All-solid small orbital launch vehicle

Manufacturer ISAS

Country of origin Japan

Size

Height 30.8 m (101 ft)

Diameter 2.5 m (8.2 ft)

Mass 137,500 - 139,000 kg (303,100 - 306,000 lb)

Stages 3 or 4

Capacity

Payload to LEO 1,800 kg (3,900 lb)

Payload to
Polar LEO 1,300 kg (2,800 lb)

Launch History

Status Retired

Launch sites Kagoshima

Total launches 7 (M-V: 4, M-V KM: 3)

Successes 6 (M-V: 3, M-V KM: 3)

Failures 1 (M-V)

Maiden flight M-V: 10 February 2000
M-V KM: 12 February 1997

Last flight M-V: 22 September 2006
M-V KM: 9 May 2003

Notable payloads HALCA, Nozomi,
ASTRO-E, Hayabusa
Suzaku, Akari
Hinode

First Stage - M-14

Engines 1 Solid

Thrust 3,780.345 kN (849,855 lb_f)

Specific impulse 246 sec

Burn time 46 seconds

Fuel Solid

Second Stage - M-24

Engines 1 Solid

Thrust 1,245.287 kN (279,952 lb_f)

Specific impulse 203 sec

Burn time 71 seconds

Fuel Solid

Third Stage - M-34

Engines 1 Solid

Thrust 294 kN (66,093 lb_f)

Specific impulse 301 sec

Burn time 102 seconds

Fuel Solid

Fourth Stage - KM-V1

Engines 1 Solid

Thrust 51.9 kN (11,668 lb_f)

Specific impulse 298 sec

Burn time 73 seconds

Fuel Solid

M-V rocket with the ASTRO-E satellite (Febr. 2000)

The M-V rocket, also called M-5 or Mu-5, was a Japanese solid-fuel rocket designed to launch scientific satellites. It was a member of the Mu family of rockets. The Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) began developing the M-V in 1990 at a cost of 15 billion yen. It has three stages and is 30.7 meters high, 2.5 meters in diameter, and weighs about 140 tonnes (310,000 pounds). It was capable of launching a satellite weighing 1.8 tonnes (2 short tons) into an orbit as high as 250 km (155 miles).

The first M-V rocket launched the HALCA radio astronomy satellite in 1997, and the second the Nozomi Mars explorer in July 1998. The third rocket attempted to launch the Astro-E X-ray satellite on February 10, 2000 but failed.

ISAS recovered from this setback and launched Hayabusa to 25143 Itokawa in 2003.

The following M-V launch was the scientific Astro-E2 satellite, a replacement for Astro-E, which took place on July 10, 2005.

The final launch was that of the Hinode (SOLAR-B) spacecraft, along with the SSSat microsat and a nanosatellite, HIT-SAT, on 22 September 2006.

A next generation of M-V rockets was planned and developing, the "Advanced Solid Rocket", with lowering the hurdles to space.

1 National security
2 M-V flights
3 References
4 External links

National security

Solid fuel rockets are the design of choice for military applications as they can remain in storage for long periods, and then reliably launch at a moments notice.

Lawmakers made national security arguments for keeping Japan's solid-fuel rocket technology alive after ISAS was merged into the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, which also has the H-IIA liquid-fuelled rocket. in 2003. The ISAS director of external affairs, Yasunori Matogawa, said, "It seems the hard-line national security proponents in parliament are increasing their influence, and they aren't getting much criticism…I think we’re moving into a very dangerous period. When you consider the current environment and the threat from North Korea, it’s scary."^[1]

The M-V design could be weaponised quickly although this would be politically difficult.^[2]

M-V flights

Date (UTC)	Flight	Payload	Result
February 12, 1997 04:50:00	M-V-1	Muses B (HALCA)	Success
July 3, 1998 18:12:00	M-V-3	Planet B (Nozomi)	Success
February 10, 2000 01:30:00	M-V-4	ASTRO-E	Failure
May 9, 2003 04:29:25	M-V-5	Muses C (Hayabusa)	Success
July 10, 2005 03:30:00	M-V-6	ASTRO-E2 (Suzaku)	Success
February 21, 2006 21:28:00	M-V-8	ASTRO-F (Akari) CUTE-1.7-APD SSP (solar sail sub payload)	Success SSP failed to open completely
September 22, 2006 21:36	M-V-7	Solar-B (Hinode) HIT-SAT SSSAT(solar sail)	Success SSSat failed after launch