If the agreement is reached, it would be the first commercial satellite launch order using a Japanese-developed rocket, said Hiroyuki Yamakado, Mitsubishi Heavy spokesman.

"We are still negotiating the deal. Our hope is to finalise it in early May," he said.

Mitsubishi Heavy was considering setting the launch price below the 8.5 billion yen (72.03 million dollar) cost of a standard H-IIA launch, Yamakado said.

Hispasat will commission Mitsubishi Heavy to launch a communications satellite weighing about four tons in end 2005 or early 2006, he said.

With the deal, Mitsubishi Heavy was hoping to gain a foothold in the two billion-dollar annual commercial satellite market, Yamakado said.

Mitsubishi Heavy on Tuesday took over from the government responsibility for manufacturing and marketing H-2As to be launched in fiscal 2005 and beyond.

The development follows the National Space Development Agency'ssuccessful placing into orbit of the Japanese government's first two spy satellites using an H-2A on March 28.

It was the rocket's fifth straight successful launch since its maiden flight in August 2001.

Japan had struggled to enter the commercial satellite launch business, especially after failed launches of the H-2, the first rocket to be developed and made in Japan, in 1998 and 1999.

NASDA officials have said they hoped to have at least two launches of the H-2A carrying commercial satellites per year to make it a viable business.

In December an H-2A placed an Australian FedSat communications and space science satellite into orbit, although the launch costs were covered by the Japanese government as a gift to mark the centenary of the Australian Commonwealth.

NASDA has yet to schedule the next launch of the rocket.

SPACE.WIRE