Tokyo - February 5, 1996 - With the inaugural flight of the J-1, Japan's latest launcher, on February 7, the rocket faces the prospect of being little more than a highly visible demonstration of Japan's capacity to build Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles.

Currently, only two missions are planned for the J-1, this week's mission and a further in two years to launch a small communications test satellite.

In addition, the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) is under pressure to keep costs down on all projects. The Ministry of Finance, which only gave space development a 2 percent funding increase in the 1996 budget, is pressuring NASDA to cut costs even further if it to receive government support for more projects.

NASDA spokesman, Shinji Nio, said, "NASDA needs to strengthen its efforts to cut expenses wherever possible for all programs by evaluating the results appropriately and connecting more closely with the Institute for Space and Astronautical Science."

The J-1 was conceived from the beginning to be a low cost rocket capable of delivering a 2-ton payload into low Earth orbit. To accomplish this, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., the builder of the rocket, combined the upper stages of the M-3S2 and a first stage solid rocket booster from the H-2 to build one small rocket.

It is a small launch vehicle primarily intended for use in proving the viability of Japan's planned reusable unpiloted space shuttle called the H2 Orbiting Plane (Hope). Hope, will be used to transport materials for construction of the Japan Experiment Module (JEM) on the international space station.

The J-1 tests involve the launching of a scale model of the Hope called the Hypersonic Flight Experiment (HYFLEX). After this experiment NASDA has only one other launch planned for the J-1, which is in 1998 and is not related to the Hope project. Hope itself will be launched by a larger rocket, the H-2A.

"The key merit of the J-1 is the lack of innovation," said Akisato Takahashi, chief engineer the Space Systems Department of Nissan's Aerospace Division. The only major components that were designed specifically for the J-1 are the structure that connects the first and second stages, made by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., and the portions most directly relating to the HYFLEX, such as its carriage unit. "Innovation," explained Takahashi, "costs money in the form of more research and development."

One way NASDA keeps the costs of building a rocket down, according to Takahashi, is to buy the same components from the same companies each time a rocket is built. For example, electronic components were mainly supplied by NEC Corp. and Matsushita Communications Industrial Co., Ltd., while the telemetry system was supplied by Fujitsu Ltd. Yuasa Corp. made the batteries and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was responsible for making the first and second interstage structure.

Nissan makes just about everything else on the J-1 including the engines, motors and the pyrotechnics, except the external vernier engine for roll control in the first stage, which was made by Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.

The J-1 is scheduled to be launched Feb. 7 at NASDA's Osaki launch complex on Tanegashima Island off the southern tip of Japan. The complex is part of the Tanegashima Space Center and was formerly used for launching the H-1, but has been renovated and extended for J-1. The J-1 has an average thrust of 159 tons in the first stage and 53.5 tons in the second stage.

When the J-1 is launched again in 1998 it will have three stages and will put the Optical Inter-orbit Communications Test Satellite (OICETS) into a circular orbit.

The J-1 could be an ideal rocket for launching low-Earth-orbit satellites, said Takahashi. Mr. Keiichi Adachi, an engineer on Takahashi's team concurred saying, "In a few years I think the small satellite market will become much larger as satellite makers are able to reduce the mass of their satellites." But Nissan officials are not sure whether they will be able to capitalize on the opportunity.

To date, NASDA has retained ownership of such launch vehicles as the J-1 and the H-2. Nissan has merely been the sub-contractor, and as such, cannot use the design of the rocket without the permission of NASDA. Nor could they market components used in these rockets.

Because their costs are high Japanese industry and government officials also are uncertain whether their launchers can be competitively priced. However, Japanese officials believe they can become a strong player in world markets as a component supplier, especially for companies like Nissan, which already possess global a distribution networks.

02/05/96