| Upright | 0.25 |
|---|---|
| Function | Medium-lift launch vehicle |
| Height | 42 m (138 ft) |
| Diameter | 2.44 m (8.0 ft) |
| Mass | 142,260 kg (313,630 lb) |
| Stages | 2 or 3 |
| Family | Delta |
| Derived from | N-II |
| Derivatives | H-II |
| Comparable | Delta 3000, PSLV |
| Status | Retired |
| Sites | Tanegashima, Osaki |
| Launches | 9 |
| Success | 9 |
| First | 12 August 1986 |
| Last | 11 February 1992 |
| Location | LEO |
|---|---|
| Mass | 3,200 kg (7,100 lb) |
| Location | GTO |
|---|---|
| Mass | 1,100 kg (2,400 lb) |
| Solid | yes |
|---|---|
| Number | 6 or 9 |
| Engines | 1 × TX-354-3 |
| Thrust | 258.9 kN (58,200 lbf) |
| Si | 262 isp |
| Burntime | 37 seconds |
| Fuel | HTPB/Al |
| Stageno | First |
|---|---|
| Engines | 1 × MB-3-3 |
| Thrust | 866.7 kN (194,800 lbf) |
| Si | 290 isp |
| Burntime | 270 seconds |
| Fuel | RP-1/LOX |
| Stageno | Second |
|---|---|
| Engines | 1 × LE-5 |
| Thrust | 102.9 kN (23,100 lbf) |
| Si | 450 isp |
| Burntime | 370 seconds |
| Fuel | LH2/LOX |
| Stageno | Third |
|---|---|
| Diff | optional |
| Engines | 1 × UM-129A |
| Thrust | 77.4 kN (17,400 lbf) |
| Si | 291 isp |
| Burntime | 68 seconds |
| Fuel | Solid |
The H–I (H–1) was a Japanese medium-lift launch vehicle, consisting of a licence-produced American first stage and set of booster 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 the N-II, and was subsequently replaced by the H-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 the Thor-ELT, which was originally constructed for the US Delta 1000 rocket. The stage had already been produced under licence in Japan for the N-I and N-II rockets. The second stage was entirely Japanese, using an LE-5 engine, the first rocket engine in Japan to use a cryogenic fuel. On launches to Geosynchronous transfer orbits, a Nissan–built UM-69A solid motor was used as a third stage. Depending on the mass of the payload, either six or nine US Castor 2 SRMs were used as booster rockets.
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]
Launch history
| Flight | Date (UTC) | Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F16[a] | 12 August 1986, 20:45 | Tanegashima, Osaki | EGP (Ajisai) | LEO | |
| First flight of the H-I launch vehicle. | |||||
| F17 | 27 August 1987, 09:20 | Tanegashima, Osaki | ETS-5 (Kiku-5) | GTO | |
| Third stage used. | |||||
| F18 | 19 February 1988, 10:05 | Tanegashima, Osaki | CS-3A (Sakura-3A) | GTO | |
| Third stage used. | |||||
| F19 | 16 September 1988, 09:59 | Tanegashima, Osaki | CS-3B (Sakura-3B) | GTO | |
| Third stage used. | |||||
| F20 | 5 September 1989, 19:11 | Tanegashima, Osaki | GMS-4 (Himawari-4) | GTO | |
| 6 SRMs, 3 stages | |||||
| F21 | 7 February 1990, 01:33 | Tanegashima, Osaki | MOS-1B (Momo-1B) | LEO | |
| F22 | 28 August 1990, 09:05 | Tanegashima, Osaki | BS-3A (Yuri-3A) | GTO | |
| Third stage used. | |||||
| F23 | 25 August 1991, 08:40 | Tanegashima, Osaki | BS-3B (Yuri-3B) | GTO | |
| Third stage used. | |||||
| F24 | 11 February 1992, 01:50 | Tanegashima, Osaki | Japanese Earth Resource Satellite (FUYO-1) | LEO | |
- ^ The flight numbering is a continuation of the series used on the N-I and N-II
See also
- Delta rocket
- H-II
- H-IIA
- PGM-17 Thor
- Comparison of orbital launchers families
- Comparison of orbital launch systems
References
- ^ Japan's H–1 and H–2 rockets, Air & Space/Smithsonian, February/March 1987, p. 19
- Wade, Mark. "Delta". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 17 August 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
- McDowell, Jonathan. "Thor". Orbital and Suborbital Launch Database. Jonathan's Space Report. Archived from the original on 1 August 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
- Krebs, Gunter. "H-1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 31 August 2008.