History of Tanegashima Space Center

Paper number

IAC-05-E4.4.06

Author

Mr. Eiji Sogame, CosmoTec, Japan

Year

2005

Abstract

This paper deals with the history of the Tanegashima Space Center (TNSC), one of the two launch sites of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). It is located in Tanegashima Island roughly 1000 km southwest of Tokyo. The core of TNSC is the launch complex for H-IIA, Japan’s major launch vehicle. Other facilities include static firing test facilities and tracking stations.
The construction of TNSC began in 1966, aiming at a first launch in November, but it was cancelled because of the objection of fishermen. It took nearly two years till a launch of a small sounding rocket in September 1968. Since then, various experimental rockets were launched including TR-IA for microgravity experiments.
The first launch of a satellite was in September 1975. A N-I rocket lifted off from a newly built launch complex injecting an engineering test satellite ETS-I into orbit. The launch complex was used for N-I, N-II, H-I, and J-I launch vehicles. Another launch complex was built for larger H-II and H-IIA launch vehicles.  The first launch of H-II was in February 1994. In February 2005, A H-IIA rocket was launched successfully after grounded for a year and three months due to a launch failure. Altogether, satellite launch vehicles that lifted off from TNSC are 7 N-I, 8 N-II, 9 H-I, 7 H-II, and 7 H-IIA vehicles as of March 2005.
The results of main launches will be described in this paper along with the construction of major facilities.

Abstract document

IAC-05-E4.4.06.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-05-E4.4.06.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.