H-I
Function | Carrier rocket |
---|---|
Manufacturer | McDonnell Douglas(design) Mitsubishi Heavy Industries(production) |
Country of origin | Japan (production) United States (design) |
Size | |
Height | 42 metres (138 ft) |
Diameter | 2.44 metres (8.0 ft) |
Mass | 142,260 kilograms (313,630 lb) |
Stages | 2 or 3 |
Capacity | |
Payload toLEO | |
Mass | 3,200 kilograms (7,100 lb) |
Payload toGTO | |
Mass | 1,100 kilograms (2,400 lb) |
Associated rockets | |
Family | Thor |
Comparable | Delta 3000,PSLV |
Launch history | |
Status | Retired |
Launch sites | LA-N,Tanegashima |
Total launches | 9 |
Success(es) | 9 |
First flight | 12 August 1986 |
Last flight | 11 February 1992 |
Boosters –Castor 2 | |
No. boosters | 6 or 9 |
Powered by | 1TX-354-3 |
Maximum thrust | 258.9 kilonewtons (58,200 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 262 sec |
Burn time | 37 seconds |
Propellant | Solid |
First stage –Thor-ELT | |
Powered by | 1MB-3-3 |
Maximum thrust | 866.7 kilonewtons (194,800 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 290 sec |
Burn time | 270 seconds |
Propellant | RP-1/LOX |
Second stage | |
Powered by | 1LE-5 |
Maximum thrust | 102.9 kilonewtons (23,100 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 450 sec |
Burn time | 370 seconds |
Propellant | LH2/LOX |
Third stage (optional) | |
Powered by | 1UM-129A |
Maximum thrust | 77.4 kilonewtons (17,400 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 291 sec |
Burn time | 68 seconds |
Propellant | Solid |
TheH–IorH–1was a Japaneseliquid-fuelledcarrier rocket,consisting of a licence-produced American first stage and set ofbooster rockets,and all-Japanese upper stages. The H in the name represented the use of liquid hydrogen fuel in the second stage. It was launched nine times between 1986 and 1992. It replaced theN-II,and was subsequently replaced by theH-II,which used the same upper stages with a Japanese first stage.
The first stage of the H–I was a licence-built version of theThor-ELT,which was originally constructed for the USDelta 1000rocket. The stage had already been produced under licence in Japan for theN-Iand N-II rockets. The second stage was entirely Japanese, using anLE-5engine, the first rocket engine in Japan to use acryogenic fuel.On launches toGeosynchronous transfer orbits,aNissan–builtUM-69Asolid motor was used as a third stage. Depending on the mass of the payload, either six or nine USCastor 2SRMs were used asbooster rockets.
Launch history[edit]
Flight No. | Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, Configuration |
Launch site | Payload | Payload mass | Orbit | Customer | Launch outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15(F) | 12 August 1986, 20:45 |
H-I | Osaki Launch Complex | EGP(Ajisai) | LEO | Success | ||
9 SRMs, 2 stages | ||||||||
17(F) | 27 August 1987, 09:20 |
H-I | Osaki Launch Complex | ETS-5(Kiku-5) | GTO | Success | ||
9 SRMs, 3 stages | ||||||||
18(F) | 19 February 1988, 10:05 |
H-I | Osaki Launch Complex | CS-3A(Sakura-3A) | GTO | Success | ||
9 SRMs, 3 stages | ||||||||
19(F) | 16 September 1988, 09:59 |
H-I | Osaki Launch Complex | CS-3B(Sakura-3B) | GTO | Success | ||
9 SRMs, 3 stages | ||||||||
20(F) | 5 September 1989, 19:11 |
H-I | Osaki Launch Complex | GMS-4(Himawari-4) | GTO | Success | ||
6 SRMs, 3 stages | ||||||||
21(F) | 7 February 1990, 01:33 |
H-I | Osaki Launch Complex | MOS-1B(Momo-1B) | LEO | Success | ||
9 SRMs, 2 stages | ||||||||
22(F) | 28 August 1990, 09:05 |
H-I | Osaki Launch Complex | BS-3A(Yuri-3A) | GTO | Success | ||
9 SRMs, 3 stages | ||||||||
23(F) | 25 August 1991, 08:40 |
H-I | Osaki Launch Complex | BS-3B(Yuri-3B) | GTO | Success | ||
9 SRMs, 3 stages | ||||||||
24(F) | 11 February 1992, 01:50 |
H-I | Osaki Launch Complex | JERS-1(FUYO-1) | LEO | Success | ||
9 SRMs, 2 stages |
When the H–1 was announced in 1986, company representative Tsuguo Tatakawe clarified that it would only be used to launch indigenous (i.e. Japanese) payloads, that only two launches per year could be mounted, and that the launch window consisted of a four-month period in which Japanese fishing fleets were not active (the falling launch boosters may damage fishing nets in the ocean waters).[1]
See also[edit]
- Delta rocket
- H-II
- H-IIA
- PGM-17 Thor
- Comparison of orbital launchers families
- Comparison of orbital launch systems
References[edit]
- ^Japan's H–1 and H–2 rockets,Air & Space/Smithsonian,February/March 1987, p. 19
- Wade, Mark."Delta".Encyclopedia Astronautica.Archived fromthe originalon 17 August 2013.Retrieved31 August2008.
- McDowell, Jonathan."Thor".Orbital and Suborbital Launch Database.Jonathan's Space Report.Archived fromthe originalon 1 August 2020.Retrieved31 August2008.
- Krebs, Gunter."H-1".Gunter's Space Page.Retrieved31 August2008.