Press Release: Selection of planned construction site for small rocket launch complex
2019.03.26
TOKYO, March 26, 2019—SPACE ONE Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative: Shinichiro Ota, hereinafter “SPACE ONE”) today announced that the company has selected Kushimoto Town, Wakayama Prefecture as the planned construction site for its rocket launch complex. Successful completion of the construction will result in Japan’s first privately owned rocket launch complex.
SPACE ONE was established in July of 2018 as a private corporation aimed to provide small-satellite launch services. The four shareholders are; Canon Electronics Inc., IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd., Shimizu Corporation and Development Bank of Japan Inc. Prior to its incubation, the company has conducted wide range of investigation as to whether to use existing rocket launch complex or construct a brand new launch facility, either in Japan or abroad. During this period, the company received proposals to host a launch site from Kushimoto Town and Nachikatsuura Town, both from Japan’s Wakayama Prefecture.
After careful evaluation of these proposals, SPACE ONE selected Tahara area of Kushimoto Town, Wakayama Prefecture as the planned construction site for the company’s rocket launch complex, which satisfies most of the company’s conditions.
Moving forward, SPACE ONE intends to work closely with local governments such as Wakayama Prefecture, Kushimoto Town and Nachikatsuura Town and their local communities to realize the creation of competitive launch services.
■Overview of Launch Complex
| Planned site | Tahara area, Kushimoto Town, Higashimuro County, Wakayama Prefecture |
|---|---|
| Major facilities | Rocket launchpad, rocket assembly building, rocket storage warehouse, Spacecraft assembly building and related auxiliary facilities |
| Construction schedule | 2019 : Start of construction work 2021 : Completion of construction work, start of business operations |
■Map of surrounding area of planned site
| Service provided | Launch of Spacecrafts into Earth orbit |
|---|---|
| Vision |
Launch services with the objectives of providing the world’s most competitive mission integration schedule from contract to launch and the world’s greatest launch frequency. Contribute to the lowering of cost of access to space through specialized rockets and launch facilities, and expand the scope of space-related business. |
| Launch capability |
Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO): 150 kg (Orbital inclination: 97 degrees; Altitude: 500 km) Low earth orbit (LEO): 250 kg (Orbital inclination: 33 degrees; Altitude: 500 km) |
| Cadence per year | 20 (from the mid-2020s) |
| Launch Vehicle Overview |
Configuration: three solid propellant stages and a liquid propellant kick stage, PBS (Post Boost Stage) Overall length: Approx. 18 meters Liftoff mass: Approx. 23 metric-tons |
| Start of services | 2021 |
End of document
Contact:
TEL: +81-3-6777-3310
E-mail：info@space-one.co.jp
(Reference – Conceptual Image)
