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RGClark

Member

From: Philadelphia, PA

Registered: 2006-07-05

Posts: 765

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Towards manned Japanese spaceflight.

The Friday launch of the new JAXA rocket the H3 was successful:

JAXA reaches orbit on the second launch of H3.
written by William Graham February 16, 2024
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2024/02/jaxa-second-h3/

This H3 version used two core engines and two solid side boosters. But JAXA also plans a version with three core engines and no side boosters.

This all-liquid version will have a payload of 4 tons to SSO, sun-synchronous orbit. Payload to LEO is generally 50% to 60% higher, so the 3 engine no SRB H3 will have approx. 6 tons to LEO capability. This would have the capability of launching a Gemini-class capsule to LEO, which had a 3.8 ton mass. 
 An all-liquid H3 for a manned launcher would not have the safety issues of using solid rockets. Europe and India are racing to have the next manned orbital launcher. Japan should join the race.

  Bob Clark

---

Old Space rule of acquisition (with a nod to Star Trek - the Next Generation):

      “Anything worth doing is worth doing for a billion dollars.”

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,455

Re: Towards manned Japanese spaceflight.

This post is reserved for an Index to posts that may be contributed by NewMars members.

Best wishes for success with this interesting new topic.

(th)

kbd512

Administrator

Registered: 2015-01-02

Posts: 7,862

Re: Towards manned Japanese spaceflight.

It looks like the Japanese have enough lift capability with their existing hardware for a 2-seat capsule and small inflatable space station.  I don't know exactly what their space program objectives are, but astronomy and planetary research directed at the outer planets and asteroids seem to be of great interest to them.  I wonder if they plan on more missions to hunt for asteroids and moons that might be suitable for space mining operations.  Their automotive and energy industries are focused on Hydrogen and fuel cells.  If they can locate and obtain good sources of Nickel and Platinum group metals from those objects, then they don't need to secure a source of those metals here on Earth.  They don't have to compete with anyone, don't need a lot of people thanks to their industrial automation, and can maintain their technological level using fewer people.  I'm sure there is pure scientific curiosity involved, but it could also be a clever way to cement their society's place in the world without conflict.

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: Towards manned Japanese spaceflight.

This is possibly being done as a result of the Chinese station build and use.

Mars_B4_Moon

Member

Registered: 2006-03-23

Posts: 9,776

Re: Towards manned Japanese spaceflight.

A bigger rocket for bigger robots or more robotics packed into one flight.

It's not that they don't make manned contributions they had lots and lots of flights to the ISS working with the USA/NASA the Russians/Roscosmos and the Private sector and other nations of the world,  one great contribution is the cargo ship HTV with an arm like Canada-Arm,  science studies of other bodies, asteroids, comets, Infrared astronomy, some robot missions which almost failed but hoped back damaged and rescued a mission, Solar science, many different ISS Japanese Experiments. The Japanese tend to pick scientists over military unlike Russia and the USA who tend to have chosen military pilot types, the Japan Human spaceflight program pick Biologists, Science professors, Chemical Journalism types, Aerospace Engineers, guys and girls trained in Applied Mechanics, Cardiovascular Surgeons, Chemistry Graduates Medical Sciences, some Mechanical Engineering people, I believe one Japanese guy was a military man or Airforce Pilot, maybe one Japan Maritime Military but out of all their astronauts chosen they tend to pick 'science', although you might debate when Navy Engineering, Aeronautical and Space Engineering and Military starts and ends they do have a lot of Aerospace types but I believe Japan chooses less military, maybe because of its pacifist nature post WW2, it makes what achievements they have done with less feats of 'Space Flights' very interesting.

Study 1986 a Spaceplane, Europe has done similar studies only to throw them away

http://www.astronautix.com/h/hope.html

Their agency has improved since NASDA was changed, National Space Development Agency of Japan science now taken over by JAXA.

There is no political will to have a Neo-Tokyo village on Mars and transport humans there.

Japan always favored robots.

They always had the potential for manned flight but like Europe/France a number of issues pop up or no political backbone to go for it like Russia, the USA or China have done.

the Europe philosophy is similar to Japan but both of their idea lack independent manned ambitions

ESA astronauts training in Japan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0moyLpGNelo

It's not that they can't do it or do not have the potential for manned flight, its that they won't.

Expect another nation perhaps India to do it before Japan, if they fall back too much on the world stage for example South Koreans start moving with National and Private companies maybe Japan would then wake up and push forward with new manned goals.

I am also not against some of their philosophy, I don't fall into the whole manned vs unmanned politics, both can benefit and programs can join together after a time and I believe robots could build a village on Mars and have a farm working and ready before humans arrive.

some other news

'SLIM'

Japan Moon lander put to sleep after surviving lunar night
https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Japa … t_999.html
Japan's Moon lander has been put back to sleep after it surprisingly survived the freezing, two-week lunar night, the country's space agency said, with another operation attempt scheduled for later this month.
The unmanned Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) touched down in January at a wonky angle that left its solar panels facing the wrong way.
As the sun's angle shifted, it came back to life for two days and carried out scientific observations of a crater with a high-spec camera.
This week, the SLIM probe, which was "not designed for the harsh lunar nights," when the temperature plunges to minus 133 degrees, produced another surprise by waking up after two weeks.
"SLIM has gone to sleep again as the sun set after 3 am (Japan Time) on March 1," the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday, alongside an image of the rocky lunar surface captured by the probe.

Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2024-03-03 07:21:33)