Japanese private rocket launch terminates early due of communication failure
Capitalism in space: The first launch of the first privately-built and funded Japanese suborbital rocket was terminated early today because of a communications failure.
The rocket’s developers, Interstellar Technologies, said they aborted the launch after about 80 seconds and it landed about 8 kilometers (5 miles) offshore. The aim had been to launch the rocket, called “Momo,” to an altitude of 100 kilometers (62 miles), but it only traveled about 30-40 kilometers (19-25 miles).
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Capitalism in space: The first launch of the first privately-built and funded Japanese suborbital rocket was terminated early today because of a communications failure.
The rocket’s developers, Interstellar Technologies, said they aborted the launch after about 80 seconds and it landed about 8 kilometers (5 miles) offshore. The aim had been to launch the rocket, called “Momo,” to an altitude of 100 kilometers (62 miles), but it only traveled about 30-40 kilometers (19-25 miles).
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
You have accidentally linked to the Moon Express article rather than the Interstellar Technologies one.
Link fixed. Sorry.
From the article: “The launch of a rocket by a private Japanese venture was cut short after liftoff Sunday due to a communications failure.”
This is one of the reasons why there was so much doubt that commercial space companies in the US could be successful. More than just the rocket has to work, a lot on the ground has to work, too. When NASA signed the initial Commercial Orbital Transportation Services contracts, only Orbital Sciences had been a successful commercial rocket operator, and that was with small rockets.
Guidance, navigation, and control also have to work, once in orbit. SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft had a minor glitch in GNC, earlier this year, causing a one-day delay in the delivery of cargo to the ISS. This was another area of concern to those who thought that commercial space companies would be unable to accomplish much in space.
This lack of confidence in capabilities was why finding funding was difficult in the early days of commercial space companies. Now that non-governmental entities are having successes in launching, navigating, and rendezvous there is more confidence in commercial space.
This is Japan’s first try with commercial rockets, and it is going about as well as early US attempts. I think the Japanese are on their way to having their own commercial rockets. If Interstellar Technologies has its way, she will eventually have her own commercial rockets carrying passengers for space travel.