| Upright | 0.25 |
|---|---|
| Function | Small-lift launch vehicle |
| Manufacturer | McDonnell Douglas (design) Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (production) |
| Country-origin | United States (design) Japan (production) |
| Height | 34 m (112 ft)[1] |
| Diameter | 2.44 m (8.0 ft) |
| Mass | 131,330 kg (289,530 lb)[1] |
| Stages | 2 or 3 |
| Family | Delta |
| Derivatives | N-II |
| Status | Retired |
| Sites | Tanegashima, Osaki |
| Launches | 7 |
| Success | 6 |
| First | 9 September 1975 |
| Last | 3 September 1982 |
| Fail | 1 |
| Location | LEO |
|---|---|
| Kilos | 1,200 kg (2,600 lb)[1] |
| Location | GTO |
|---|---|
| Kilos | 360 kg (790 lb)[1] |
| Number | 3[2] |
|---|---|
| Solid | yes |
| Thrust | 258.9 kN (58,200 lbf) each |
| Total | 776.7 kN (174,600 lbf) |
| Si | 262 isp |
| Burntime | 37 seconds |
| Fuel | Solid |
| 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-3 |
| Thrust | 52.9 kN (11,900 lbf) |
| Si | 290 isp |
| Burntime | 246 seconds |
| Fuel | N2O4 / A-50 |
| Stageno | Third |
|---|---|
| Diff | optional |
| Solid | yes |
| Thrust | 45 kN (10,000 lbf) |
| Si | 290 isp |
| Burntime | 42 seconds |
| Fuel | Solid |
The N-I or N-1 was a derivative of the American Thor-Delta rocket produced under license in Japan. The "N" stood for "Nippon" (Japan). The vehicle used a Long Tank Thor first stage derived from the PGM-17 Thor intermediate-range ballistic missile, a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries-designed LE-3 engine on the second stage,[3][4][5] and three Castor 2 solid rocket motors. An optional third stage, the Star-37N solid motor, was used on three of the seven launches.
Seven N-I rockets were launched between 1975 and 1982, after which the vehicle was replaced by the N-II. Six launches were successful. The fifth flight failed after the payload and third stage collided shortly after separation.
On 29 February 1976, the second N-I launch conducted the only orbital launch on a leap day, as of February 2024.[6]
Launch history
| Flight | Date (UTC) | Launch site | Payload[7] | Payload mass | Orbit | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | 9 September 1975 05:30[8] | Tanegashima, Osaki | ETS-I | 82.5 kg (182 lb)[9] | LEO | |
| ETS-I (Engineering Test Satellite I, nicknamed Kiku-1) was the first satellite launched by the NASDA. It had the objective of acquiring information on N-series launch vehicles, orbit injection, and tracking and control.[9] It ceased operations on 28 April 1982. | ||||||
| F2 | 29 February 1976 03:30[8] | Tanegashima, Osaki | ISS | 139 kg (306 lb)[10] | LEO | |
| ISS (Ionosphere Sounding Satellite, nicknamed UME) was used to monitor radio waves in the ionosphere and forecast conditions for shortwave communications.[10] A power supply issue caused Ume to stop functioning one month after launch.[11] | ||||||
| F3 | 23 February 1977 08:50[8] | Tanegashima, Osaki | ETS-II | 130 kg (290 lb)[12] | GTO | |
| 3rd stage used. ETS-II (Engineering Test Satellite II, nicknamed Kiku-2) was NASDA's first satellite launched to GEO.[12] It was intended to gather data on geostationary satellite launch, tracking, control, orbit maintenance, and attitude control as well as carrying out experiments on communications equipment. Kiku-2 ceased operations on 10 December 1990, leaving GEO. | ||||||
| F4 | 16 February 1978 04:00[8] | Tanegashima, Osaki | ISS-b | 141 kg (311 lb)[10] | LEO | |
| ISS-b (Ionosphere Sounding Satellite b, nicknamed UME-2) had similar goals to the original UME satellite, but was much more successful in carrying them out. While it was originally intended to gather data for only a year and a half, UME-2 ceased operations on 23 February 1983. | ||||||
| F5 | 6 February 1979 08:46[8] | Tanegashima, Osaki | ECS | 130 kg (290 lb)[13] | GTO | |
| 3rd stage used. ECS (Experimental Communications Satellite, nicknamed Ayame). Satellite and third stage collided shortly after separation.[13] The satellite had the intention of conducting millimeter wave experiments. | ||||||
| F6 | 22 February 1980 08:35[8] | Tanegashima, Osaki | ECS-b | 130 kg (290 lb)[13] | GTO | |
| 3rd stage used. ECS-b (Experimental Communications Satellite b, nicknamed Ayame-2). Repeat of the ECS mission. Satellite stopped transmitting shortly after separation. | ||||||
| F9[a] | 3 September 1982 05:00[8] | Tanegashima, Osaki | ETS-III | 385 kg (849 lb)[14] | LEO | |
| ETS-III (Engineering Test Satellite III, nicknamed Kiku-4) was developed to acquire data on designing earth observation satellites with high power requirements.[14] ETS-III completed testing of three-axis attitude control, deployable solar panels, movable heat control, and ion engine operation. On 8 April 1985, the satellite ran out of fuel and ceased operation. | ||||||
- ^ Flights 7 and 8 used the N-II rocket
See also
References
- ^ Wade, Mark. "Delta". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 17 August 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
- ^ "JAXA Digital Archives". Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Archived from the original on 9 September 2009. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
- ^ Takenaka, Yukihiko. "N-Iロケット開発の歩み" [The Development History of the N-I Rocket] (in Japanese). NASDA. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
- ^ "三菱重工 名古屋誘導推進システム製作所 事業所紹介 沿革" [Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. — Nagoya Guidance & Propulsion Systems Works: Site Overview — History] (in Japanese). Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Archived from the original on 4 July 2011. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
- ^ "第1部 創造性豊かな科学技術を求めて 第2章 自主技術開発への展開 第3節 先導的・基盤的科学技術分野における自主技術開発の展開 2.宇宙開発" [Part 1: In Pursuit of Creative Science and Technology — Chapter 2: Advancing Independent Technology Development — Section 3: The Development of Independent Technology in Leading and Fundamental Scientific and Technological Fields — 2. Space Development] (in Japanese). Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Archived from the original on 15 June 2008. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
- ^ Pearlman, Robert (29 February 2016). "Space Station Command Change Is One Giant Leap (Day) for Space History". Space.com. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ "N-I Launch Vehicle". JAXA | Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Thor". Orbital and Suborbital Launch Database. Jonathan's Space Report. Archived from the original on 1 August 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
- ^ "Engineering Test Satellite I "KIKU-1" (ETS-I)". JAXA | Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
- ^ "Ionosphere Sounding Satellite "UME" (ISS)". JAXA | Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
- ^ "ISS a, b (Ume 1, 2)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
- ^ "Engineering Test Satellite II "KIKU-2" (ETS-II)". JAXA | Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
- ^ "Experimental Communications Satellites "Ayame" (ECS)". JAXA | Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
- ^ "Engineering Test Satellite III "KIKU-4" (ETS-III)". JAXA | Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Retrieved 2024-02-18.