Mu (rocket family)
The Mu, also known as M, was a series of Japanese
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency following ISAS becoming part of it.[1]
Early Japanese carrier rockets
The first Mu rocket, the
Mu-4S, was conducted on 25 September 1970, however the fourth stage did not ignite, and the rocket failed to reach orbit. On 16 February 1971, Tansei 1 was launched by another Mu-4S rocket. Two further Mu-4S launches took place during 1971 and 1972. The Mu-4S was replaced by the Mu-3C, was launched four times between 1974 and 1979, with three successes and one failure, and the Mu-3H, which was launched three times in 1977 and 1978. The Mu-3S was used between 1980 and 1984, making four launches. The final member of the Mu-3 family was the Mu-3SII, which was launched eight times between 1985 and 1995. The Mu-3 was replaced in service by the M-V
.
M-V
The
Nozomi (PLANET-B) spacecraft in 1998, and the Hayabusa (MUSES-C) spacecraft in 2003. The three-stage configuration had a maximum payload of 1,800 kg (4,000 lb) for an orbit with altitude of 200 km (120 mi) and inclination
of 30°, and 1,300 kg (2,900 lb) to a polar orbit (90° inclination), with an altitude of 200 km (120 mi). The M-V KM could launch 1,800 kg (4,000 lb) to an orbit with 30° inclination and 400 km (250 mi) altitude.
The three stage M-V had a total launch mass of 137,500 kg (303,100 lb), whilst the total mass of a four-stage M-V KM was 139,000 kg (306,000 lb).
List of launches
All launches are from the Mu Launch Pad at the Uchinoura Space Center.
| Flight number | Date (UTC) | Payload | Orbit | Result | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-4S-1 | September 25, 1970 05:00 |
MS-F1 | LEO (planned) | Failure | |
| M-4S-2 | February 16, 1971 04:00 |
MS-T1 (Tansei 1) | LEO | Success | |
| M-4S-3 | September 28, 1971 04:00 |
MS-F2 (Shinsei) | LEO | Success | |
| M-4S-4 | August 19, 1972 02:40 |
REXS (Denpa) | MEO | Success | |
| M-3C-1 | February 16, 1974 05:00 |
MS-T2 (Tansei 2) | MEO | Success | |
| M-3C-2 | February 24, 1975 05:25 |
SRATS (Taiyo) | MEO | Success | |
| M-3C-3 | February 4, 1976 05:00 |
CORSA | LEO (planned) | Failure | |
| M-3H-1 | February 19, 1977 05:15 |
MS-T3 (Tansei 3) | MEO | Success | |
| M-3H-2 | February 4, 1978 07:00 |
EXOS-A (Kyokko) | MEO | Success | |
| M-3H-3 | September 16, 1978 05:00 |
EXOS-B (Jikiken) | HEO | Success | |
| M-3C-4 | February 21, 1979 05:00 |
CORSA-b (Hakucho) | LEO | Success | |
| M-3S-1 | February 17, 1980 00:40 |
MS-T4 (Tansei 4) | LEO | Success | |
| M-3S-2 | February 21, 1981 00:30 |
ASTRO-A (Hinotori) | LEO | Success | |
| M-3S-3 | February 20, 1983 05:10 |
ASTRO-B (Tenma) | LEO | Success | |
| M-3S-4 | February 14, 1984 08:00 |
EXOS-C (Ohzora) | LEO | Success | |
| M-3SII-1 | January 7, 1985 19:26 |
MS-T5 (Sakigake) | HTO | Success | |
| M-3SII-2 | August 18, 1985 23:33 |
PLANET-A (Suisei) | HTO | Success | |
| M-3SII-3 | February 5, 1987 06:30 |
ASTRO-C (Ginga) | LEO | Success | |
| M-3SII-4 | February 21, 1989 23:30 |
EXOS-D (Akebono) | MEO | Success | |
| M-3SII-5 | January 24, 1990 11:46 |
MUSES-A (Hiten) | LTO
|
Success | |
| M-3SII-6 | August 30, 1991 02:30 |
SOLAR-A (Yohkoh) | LEO | Success | |
| M-3SII-7 | February 20, 1993 02:20 |
ASTRO-D/ASCA (Asuka) | LEO | Success | |
| M-3SII-8 | January 15, 1995 13:45 |
EXPRESS | LEO | Partial failure | |
| M-V-1 | February 12, 1997 04:50 |
MUSES-B/HALCA (Haruka) | HEO | Success | |
| M-V-3 | July 3, 1998 18:12 |
PLANET-B (Nozomi) | HTO | Success | |
| M-V-4 | February 10, 2000 01:30 |
ASTRO-E | LEO (planned) | Failure | |
| M-V-5 | May 9, 2003 04:29 |
MUSES-C (Hayabusa) | HTO | Success | |
| M-V-6 | July 10, 2005 03:30 |
ASTRO-EII (Suzaku) | LEO | Success | |
| M-V-8 | February 21, 2006 21:28 |
ASTRO-F (Akari) | LEO | Success | |
| M-V-7 | September 22, 2006 21:36 |
SOLAR-B (Hinode) | LEO | Success |
^Note Two sub-orbital launches of the Mu family were performed prior to its first orbital flight: the 1.5 stage Mu-1 flew on October 31, 1966, at 05:04 UTC and the 3.5 stage Mu-3D flew on August 17, 1969, at 06:00 UTC.
See also
- Epsilon (rocket)
- J-I
- Comparison of orbital launchers families
- Comparison of orbital launch systems
References
- ISBN 9780804775007.
- ^ "Mu-3D". astronautix.com. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to M (rocket).