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).
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
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.