Function | Launch vehicle |
---|---|
Country of origin | Japan |
Cost per launch | US$39 million[1] |
Size | |
Height | 24.4 m (Demonstration Flight) 26 m (Enhanced) 27.2 m (Epsilon S)[2] |
Diameter | 2.5 m |
Mass | 91 t (Demonstration Flight) 95.4 t (Enhanced) ~100 t (Epsilon S) |
Stages | 3–4 |
Capacity | |
Payload to 250 x 500 km orbit Standard 3 stages configuration | |
Mass | 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) |
Payload to 500 km orbit Optional 4 stages configuration | |
Mass | 700 kg (1,500 lb) |
Payload to 500 km orbit Epsilon S | |
Mass | 1,400 kg (3,100 lb)[2] |
Payload to 500 km SSO Optional 4 stages configuration | |
Mass | 590 kg (1,300 lb) |
Payload to 700 km SSO Epsilon S | |
Mass | 600 kg (1,300 lb)[2] |
Launch history | |
Status | Active |
Launch sites | Uchinoura |
Total launches | 6 |
Success(es) | 5 |
Failure(s) | 1 |
Partial failure(s) | 0 |
First flight | 14 September 2013 |
Last flight | 12 October 2022 |
First stage (Demonstration Flight/Enhanced) – SRB-A3 | |
Powered by | 1 solid |
Maximum thrust | 2,271 kN (511,000 lbf)[3] |
Specific impulse | 284 s (2.79 km/s) |
Burn time | 116 seconds |
First stage (Epsilon S) – SRB-3 | |
Powered by | 1 solid |
Maximum thrust | 2,158 kN (485,000 lbf)[4] |
Specific impulse | 283.6 s (2.781 km/s) |
Burn time | 105 seconds |
Second stage (Demonstration Flight) – M-34c | |
Powered by | 1 solid |
Maximum thrust | 371.5 kN (83,500 lbf)[3] |
Specific impulse | 300 s (2.9 km/s) |
Burn time | 105 seconds |
Second stage (Enhanced) – M-35 | |
Powered by | 1 solid |
Maximum thrust | 445 kN (100,000 lbf)[3] |
Specific impulse | 295 s (2.89 km/s)[5] |
Burn time | 129 seconds [5] |
Second stage (Epsilon S) – E-21[2] | |
Powered by | 1 solid |
Maximum thrust | 610 kN (140,000 lbf)[2] |
Specific impulse | 294.5 s (2.888 km/s)[2] |
Burn time | 120 seconds[2] |
Third stage (Demonstration Flight) – KM-V2b | |
Powered by | 1 solid |
Maximum thrust | 99.8 kN (22,400 lbf)[3] |
Specific impulse | 301 s (2.95 km/s) |
Burn time | 90 seconds |
Third stage (Enhanced) – KM-V2c | |
Powered by | 1 solid |
Maximum thrust | 99.6 kN (22,400 lbf)[3] |
Specific impulse | 299 s (2.93 km/s)[5] |
Burn time | 91 seconds[5] |
Third stage (Epsilon S) – E-31[6] | |
Powered by | 1 solid |
Maximum thrust | 135 kN (30,000 lbf)[6] |
Specific impulse | ~295 s (2.89 km/s) |
Burn time | 108 seconds[6] |
Fourth stage (Optional) – CLPS | |
Maximum thrust | 40.8 N (9.2 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 215 s (2.11 km/s)[3] |
Burn time | 1100 seconds (maximum) |
Propellant | Hydrazine |
The Epsilon Launch Vehicle, or Epsilon rocket (イプシロンロケット, Ipushiron roketto) (formerly Advanced Solid Rocket), is a Japanese solid-fuel rocket designed to launch scientific satellites. It is a follow-on project to the larger and more expensive M-V rocket which was retired in 2006. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) began developing the Epsilon in 2007. It is capable of placing a 590 kg payload into Sun-synchronous orbit.[7]
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