According to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's official website February 6, the agency on the 3rd of the afternoon from Kagoshima Pu within the Uranus space station, has so far launched the world's smallest launch vehicle 'SS-520' 5 machine, about 7 Half a minute later, the Pinah satellite TRICOM-1R carried on the rocket separates and enters the intended orbit.
Dr. Yang Yuguang, researcher of China Academy of Aeronautics and Astrons, said in an interview with Science and Technology Daily: 'The global demand for Pinar satellites is relatively strong. The tiny rockets can be specially targeted at such satellites and timely launch them to meet the requirements of the orbit, and The relatively small total cost of such small vehicles makes them very promising. '
Improve and upgrade inexpensive
According to Japan's "Daily News" reported on February 3, 'SS-520' 5 machine only pole size, length of 9.5 meters, 52 centimeters in diameter and weighs 2.6 tons, is the world can enter the orbit of the world's smallest carriers Its original launch in December last year, postponed due to mechanical failure.
This is not the first time that JAXA has launched such a rocket. JAXA launched the SS-520 4 with satellite in January last year. However, when the No. 4 aircraft failed to transmit data to the ground during the flight, Launch failed To avoid further problems, R & D staff for more than 40 components have been improved.
It is reported that in addition to the body designed to adapt to the harsh space environment designed parts, but also used for home appliances integrated circuits and cables and other civilian parts, thus reducing the overall cost. 'SS-520' 5 launch and The related costs amount to about 500 million yen (about 28.6 million yuan), is 1/20 of the H2A rocket. H2A is a rocket developed by Japan's MHI for JAXA to send satellites to the geostationary orbit, Dawn 'Venus detector is the H2A rocket into the interplanetary space.
Obvious advantages of high demand
Yang Yuguang explained: 'With the development of miniaturization of electronic components, the smaller and smaller satellites perform the same function. Therefore, the development of small satellites and even microsatellites, nanosatellites and skin satellites is also rapidly developing. They are widely used in scientific research and technology Pilot, commercial remote sensing, etc. For example, Pinar satellites carried on PM 5 weigh about 3 kg and are mainly used for image capture and data communications on Earth.
Japan's Kyodo News Agency also reported on the 4th that the intention of launching multiple Pinna satellites around the world requires the means of sending them into space.
In response, Yang Yuguang said that up to now, Pinna satellites are mainly powered by the launch mode. Because each satellite has different requirements for orbit and time requirements for railways, and the rocket that Mount Pinar mainly takes care of the requirements of the main load on the tracks, Difficult to reconcile the carrying of satellites, therefore, Pinar satellites are not free to decide when to launch the issue.
Yang Yuguang said: "Micro-small rocket specifically for the requirements of the Pinar satellite, its timely launch to meet the requirements of its orbit, although the load factor (ie payload and rocket takeoff weight ratio, reflecting the rocket efficiency, the general rocket The higher the load factor, the higher the load factor is, the more difficult it is for the tiny rockets to achieve above one percent), but this may not be appropriate in certain situations, and as a result, expectations for small rockets are on the rise.
Lower costs of favor of the public
It is reported that this January 21 this year, the US start-up 'Rockets Laboratory' company successfully launched in New Zealand, a small rocket equipped with three ultra-small satellites, and the satellite sent Into a predetermined orbit. The 'electronic' rocket is 17 meters long, 1.2 meters in diameter and weighs 10.5 tons and has a maximum payload of 225 kilograms. Compared to SpaceX's payload of up to 20 tons, the Falcon 9 rocket Much more.
Like Elon Musk founded SpaceX and Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos, the Blue Origins company, Rocket Labs also hopes to reduce the cost of mankind into space, but the difference is, Companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin are mainly researching and developing reusable large rockets; and 'Rocket Labs' are mainly developing small rockets to meet the needs of their customers to launch small satellites.
Japan's Kyodo News said in a report on the 4th that Japan's successful launch will contribute to the development of civilian rocket since the SS-520 series rocket belongs to the experimental model and will be the last to be used for satellite launch. R & D of four companies such as Canon Electronics set up in August last year, continue to develop small rocket new company, the future will mainly be undertaken by private forces in this work.In addition, in Japan, funded by investors Horie Ki rocket manufacturer Stargate Technology Co., Ltd. also plans to send Japan's first small folk rocket into space this spring.
Of course, Yang Yuguang also pointed out at the end: 'There are still some shortcomings in the ultra-small rocket, such as low coefficient of delivery and high relative cost, and the launch service market of Pinna satellite is still relatively small and relatively small. However, There is room for development. The specific scale to be reached is still hard to predict. It mainly depends on the development level of the Pina satellite. "