The unmanned rocket named MOMO-3 took off Saturday from a test site in Taiki on the northern Japanese island of Hokkiado.

Japanese aerospace startup Interstellar Technology said its 10-meter (32-foot) craft reached an altitude of about 100 kilometers (60 miles) before splashing down into the Pacific Ocean.

The successful flight lasted about 10 minutes, and came after two failed launches by the same company in 2017 and 2018.

"We proved that our rocket developed with a lot of commercially available parts is capable of reaching space," Interstellar Technology CEO Takahiro Inagawa told a news conference in Hokkaido.

The company said the feat marked the first time a Japanese commercial rocket has been launched into space.

Read more: Japanese companies plan to build moon colonies

The MOMO-3 rocket is only 50 centimeters wide and 10 meters long

The MOMO-3 rocket weighs about 1.15 metric tons and is capable of carrying payloads of up to 20 kilograms (44 pounds) — although it cannot yet send them into orbit.

The Japanese firm is working to develop cheap commercial rockets that can carry small satellites into space. The production of such low-cost craft has become a growing trend in the space business, with US companies, including Elon Musk's SpaceX, leading the field.

Read more: Japan lands rovers on asteroid in historic mission

From colonies on Mars to Hyperloop — Elon Musk's multifarious projects A serial entrepreneur Tech visionary Musk intends to revolutionize transportation, both on earth and in space, and the way humans lead their lives. Over the past two decades, the South African-born American entrepreneur has emerged as one of Silicon Valley's most recognized faces worldwide. Musk was cofounder of Paypal, which was acquired by eBay for $1.4 billion (€1.2 billion) in 2002.

From colonies on Mars to Hyperloop — Elon Musk's multifarious projects Eying space In 2002, Musk founded SpaceX, an aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company currently valued at over $20 billion. He wants to make space travel cheaper and, eventually, enable human life on Mars, thus giving human kind a chance at becoming multi-planetary species.

From colonies on Mars to Hyperloop — Elon Musk's multifarious projects A mission to Mars SpaceX's Falcon and Dragon rocket programs both already deliver payloads into Earth's orbit. The company has said it wants to launch its Mars-bound cargo flight in 2022, followed by the first Mars flight with passengers in 2024.

From colonies on Mars to Hyperloop — Elon Musk's multifarious projects Transforming transportation After founding SpaceX, Musk set up Tesla in 2003 to come up with electric autonomous vehicles and renewable energy solutions. But production bottlenecks have plagued the company, with much of its future banked on the Model 3, its first mid-price, mass-market vehicle.

From colonies on Mars to Hyperloop — Elon Musk's multifarious projects Really big Teslas are coming After the foray into electric cars, Musk last year opened a new chapter in his book of visions as he unveiled the prototype of a futuristic all-electric heavy truck. The vehicle — dubbed the Tesla Semi — is set to go into production in 2019. It would boast 500 miles of range, a battery and motors that will last 1 million miles and cheaper total operating costs than diesel models, Musk claimed.

From colonies on Mars to Hyperloop — Elon Musk's multifarious projects Roofs made of solar tiles Besides running SpaceX and Tesla, Musk has also invested in the solar energy company SolarCity to turn his vision of a solar-powered future into a reality. Musk said houses equipped with Tesla's Solar Roof would feed energy to Powerwall, a sleek storage unit designed to act as an electricity fill-up station for both the house and a Tesla electric car.

From colonies on Mars to Hyperloop — Elon Musk's multifarious projects Dreaming an electric future In 2015, Musk unveiled Powerwall, a home battery unit with a selling price of $3,500 for 10kWh and $3,000 for 7kWh. The Powerwall can be controlled via one's phone, from anywhere. But slow production rates have proved to be a problem.

From colonies on Mars to Hyperloop — Elon Musk's multifarious projects Hyperloop Hyperloop came into global prominence after it was proposed by Musk in 2013. It is viewed as a next-generation transportation system — a "fifth mode" of transport (after planes, trains, cars and boats). It uses magnetically-levitated pods and sealed partial vacuum transit tubes to move people and freight at supersonic speeds estimated to reach over 700 miles per hour (1,127 kilometers per hour).

From colonies on Mars to Hyperloop — Elon Musk's multifarious projects Merging brain with AI In 2016, Musk co-founded Neuralink, a neurotechnology startup that is reportedly trying to create brain-computer interfaces by integrating the human brain with artificial intelligence (AI). The project is currently at an early stage of development. Author: Srinivas Mazumdaru



nm/rc (AP, dpa)

Every evening, DW sends out a selection of the day's news and features. Sign up here.</s>Aerospace company Interstellar Technologies Inc. became the first private firm in Japan to launch a rocket into space on Saturday, per the Japan Times, by sending an unmanned, 10-meter, one-ton Momo-3 rocket some 68 miles (110 kilometers) upwards on a brief but milestone hitting journey.



This is the third launch attempt by Interstellar. A 2017 launch resulted in operators losing contact with the rocket after launch, though the rocket was estimated to have achieved a total height of around 12.4 miles (20 kilometers). Another in 2018 resulted in a massive fireball when the rocket left the pad, then within seconds fell back down and exploded.

Saturday’s attempt was originally scheduled for last week, but a “glitch in the fuel system” forced a delay, according to the Times. Saturday’s originally planned launch at 5:00 a.m. local time was also delayed by 45 minutes after the detection of an “anomaly.” However, when it did launch everything worked as intended, with the Momo-3 rocket burning its liquid fuel for the scheduled two minutes and flying for 10 minutes before it fell into the Pacific Ocean. The rocket reportedly carried a 44-pound (20 kilogram) payload that was not delivered to space, but instead carried testing equipment.

Company founder Takafumi Horie told the TImes the launch on Saturday was a “complete success,” adding “We’ll work to achieve stable launches and mass-produce (rockets) in quick cycles.”

This is probably a big relief for Horie, the creator of now-defunct internet service provider Livedoor. His credibility has been somewhat thrown into question due to his history with that company, which crashed and burned last decade amid a trading scandal that saw him land nearly two years in jail. Some of Horie’s more ambitious efforts, such bids to take over a baseball team and a major media conglomerate as well as a run for parliament, have also ended in failure.

As noted in Nikkei Asian Review, Horie’s plans for Interstellar are relatively modest and he has no plans to compete with aerospace giants like SpaceX or Blue Origin, instead focusing on small, cheap rockets that cost under a million dollars. However, its primary competitor Rocket Lab has more resources to expend and achieved a successful space launch in 2009 (and first launched a satellite in January 2018), while other companies like China’s OneSpace are making considerable progress.

As Nikkei separately reported this weekend, Interstellar’s launch is also a step towards a new era in which private companies, historically overshadowed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, take a bigger role in the nation’s space efforts. Interstellar plans to develop another rocket, a larger Zero model that can deliver microsatellites into orbit, but it will require tens of millions of dollars in development costs. That means the company “not be able to rely on such homespun methods as crowdfunding it has been using to raise capital,” Nikkei added.</s>Troubled spaceflight company Interstellar Technologies had a success this week, when it was finally able to launch its MOMO-3 rocket into space.

The Japanese company attempted its first launch in July 2017, but one minute after launch, communications with the rocket were lost and the emergency engine shutdown was triggered, causing the rocket to crash into the sea. A second launch attempt occurred in June 2018, but just four seconds after liftoff the rocket crashed back down to Earth, exploding violently.

Third time’s the charm, however, and this week the launch went off successfully, marking the first successful private launch by a Japanese company. The launch occurred on May 4, lifting off at 5:45 a.m. local time from the launch site in Hokkaido, Japan. The rocket reached the border of space, measured as 100 km (62 miles) from the Earth’s surface, within four minutes of launching. It continued to fly for 10 more seconds before falling back to Earth.

Controversial entrepreneur Takafumi Horie, who founded Interstellar Technologies, tweeted proudly: “Outer space is distant. But our rocket managed to get there, reaching an altitude of about 113 km.”

Horie was charged with securities fraud in 2006 and his role in the project has raised some eyebrows, but this launch shows that the company is making progress. He also tweeted that the company will be working on more stable launches in the future and aims to mass-product rockets in fast cycles.

The MOMO-3 rocket weighed in at 1150 kg, or about 2500 lbs, and was of a modest size, measuring 9.9 meters in length and 50 cm in diameter. The next plan for Interstellar Technologies is to develop a new rocket, called Zero, which will be able to launch a 100 kg (220 lb) satellite into an orbit at an altitude of 50 km (31 miles). The company hopes that this launch will be possible for the cost of 600 million yen, or 5.4 million U.S. dollars.

If the company is able to succeed in their new rocket plans, it will be able to take satellites into space for a far lower cost than current government launches. The launch this week shows there is potential in this plan, though there is still a long way to go before a sustainable business model can be achieved.</s>A Japanese aerospace start-up funded by a former internet maverick has successfully launched a small rocket into space, making it the first commercially developed Japanese rocket to reach orbit.

A Japanese aerospace start-up funded by a former internet maverick has successfully launched a small rocket into space, making it the first commercially developed Japanese rocket to reach orbit.

Interstellar Technology said the unmanned MOMO-3 rocket exceeded 60 miles in altitude before falling into the Pacific Ocean. It was launched from the company’s test site in the town of Taiki on Japan’s northern main island of Hokkaido and flew about 10 minutes.

Interstellar Technologies CEO Takahiro Inagawa told a news conference from Hokkaido: “We proved that our rocket developed with a lot of commercially available parts is capable of reaching the space.”

The rocket, about 32ft long and 1.5ft in diameter, weighs about a tonne. It is capable of carrying payloads as heavy as 44lbs, but currently lacks the ability to send them into orbit.

The company, founded in 2013 by entrepreneur Takafumi Horie, who was a former Livedoor president, aims to develop low-cost commercial rockets to carry satellites into space.

Mr Horie expressed high expectations for his new business.

“I’m hoping that many manufacturers and satellite makers will come here to join us,” he said.

The launch is part of a growing international trend in space business, where Japan has fallen behind global competition, led by US start-ups such as Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

Saturday’s success came after two failures in 2017 and 2018.</s>TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese aerospace startup funded by a former internet maverick successfully launched a small rocket into space Saturday, making it the first commercially developed Japanese rocket to reach orbit.

Interstellar Technology Inc. said the unmanned MOMO-3 rocket exceeded 100 kilometers (60 miles) in altitude before falling into the Pacific Ocean. It was launched from the company's test site in the town of Taiki on Japan's northern main island of Hokkaido and flew about 10 minutes.

"We proved that our rocket developed with a lot of commercially available parts is capable of reaching the space," Interstellar Technologies CEO Takahiro Inagawa told a news conference from Hokkaido.

The rocket, about 10 meters (32 feet) long and 50 centimeters (1.5 feet) in diameter, weighs about 1 ton. It is capable of carrying payloads as heavy as 20 kilograms (44 pounds) but currently lacks an ability to send them into orbit.

The company, founded in 2013 by entrepreneur Takafumi Horie, who was a former Livedoor Co. President, aims to develop low-cost commercial rockets to carry satellites into space. Horie expressed high expectations for his new business.

"I'm hoping that many manufacturers and satellite makers will come here to join us," he said.

The launch is part of a growing international trend in space business, where Japan has fallen behind global competition, led by U.S. startups such as Elon Musk's SpaceX.

Saturday's success came after two failures in 2017 and 2018.</s>A Japanese aerospace startup funded by a former internet maverick successfully launched a small rocket into space Saturday, making it the first commercially developed Japanese rocket to reach orbit.

Interstellar Technology Inc. said the unmanned MOMO-3 rocket exceeded 100 kilometers (60 miles) in altitude before falling into the Pacific Ocean. It was launched from the company's test site in the town of Taiki on Japan's northern main island of Hokkaido and flew about 10 minutes.

"We proved that our rocket developed with a lot of commercially available parts is capable of reaching the space," Interstellar Technologies CEO Takahiro Inagawa told a news conference from Hokkaido.

The rocket, about 10 meters (32 feet) long and 50 centimeters (1.5 feet) in diameter, weighs about 1 ton. It is capable of carrying payloads as heavy as 20 kilograms (44 pounds) but currently lacks an ability to send them into orbit.

The company, founded in 2013 by entrepreneur Takafumi Horie, who was a former Livedoor Co. President, aims to develop low-cost commercial rockets to carry satellites into space. Horie expressed high expectations for his new business.

"I'm hoping that many manufacturers and satellite makers will come here to join us," he said.

The launch is part of a growing international trend in space business, where Japan has fallen behind global competition, led by U.S. startups such as Elon Musk's SpaceX.

Saturday's success came after two failures in 2017 and 2018.

© 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Citation: Japan's private rocket reaches outer space for first time (2019, May 4) retrieved 4 May 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2019-05-japan-private-rocket-outer-space.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.</s>A photo taken on Tuesday in Taiki shows the small rocket developed by Japanese aerospace start-up Interstellar Technology Inc. Photo: Kyodo</s>A Japanese aerospace startup successfully launched a small rocket on Saturday, making it the country’s first privately developed model to reach outer space.

Interstellar Technology Inc. said the unmanned Momo-3, launched from its test site in Hokkaido and reached about 110 kilometers in altitude before falling into the Pacific Ocean after 10 minutes of flight time.

“It was a complete success. We’ll work to achieve stable launches and mass-produce (rockets) in quick cycles,” said company founder Takafumi Horie.

Measuring 10 meters in length and 50 centimeters in diameter and weighing 1 ton, it was first due to be launched Tuesday, but that launch was shelved due to a glitch in the fuel system.

On Saturday, the first launch attempt at 5 a.m. was called off at the last minute due to the detection of an abnormality. The cause of the problem was identified before the second attempt. According to the company, Momo-3 was launched at 5:45 a.m. and its liquid fuel was burned for about two minutes as planned.

About 1,000 people gathered to watch the liftoff.

It was the venture company’s third launch attempt after previous tries failed in 2017 and 2018.

In 2017, the operator lost contact with Momo-1 shortly after launch. In 2018, Momo-2 only made it some 20 meters off the ground before crashing and bursting into flames due to a problem with an attitude control system.

Founded in 2013 by Horie, former Livedoor Co. president, Interstellar Technology aims to develop low-cost commercial rockets to carry satellites to space.</s>TOKYO — A Japanese aerospace startup funded by a former internet maverick has successfully launched a small rocket into space.

Interstellar Technology Inc. says the unmanned MOMO-3 rocket has exceeded 60 miles in altitude before falling into the Pacific Ocean.

The company says it proves that a rocket using mostly commercial parts can reach the space.

The rocket, about 32 feet long and 1.5 feet in diameter, weighs about 1 ton. The rocket is capable of putting payloads into orbit.

The company, founded in 2013 by former Livedoor Co. President Takafumi Horie, aims to develop low-cost commercial rockets to carry satellites into space.

Saturday’s success came after two failures in 2017 and 2018. It is Japan’s first privately developed rocket to reach the outer space.</s>The unmanned rocket named MOMO-3 took off Saturday from a test site in Taiki on the northern Japanese island of Hokkiado.

Japanese aerospace startup Interstellar Technology said its 10-meter (32-foot) craft reached an altitude of about 100 kilometers (60 miles) before splashing down into the Pacific Ocean.

The successful flight lasted about 10 minutes, and came after two failed launches by the same company in 2017 and 2018.

"We proved that our rocket developed with a lot of commercially available parts is capable of reaching space," Interstellar Technology CEO Takahiro Inagawa told a news conference in Hokkaido.

The company said the feat marked the first time a Japanese commercial rocket has been launched into space.

The MOMO-3 rocket weighs about 1.15 metric tons and is capable of carrying payloads of up to 20 kilograms (44 pounds) — although it cannot yet send them into orbit.

The Japanese firm is working to develop cheap commercial rockets that can carry small satellites into space. The production of such low-cost spacecraft has become a growing trend in the space business, with US companies, including Elon Musk's SpaceX, leading the field.

Read more: Japan lands rovers on asteroid in historic mission

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Interstellar Technologies successfully launches uncrewed rocket MOMO-3 from its launch facility in Taiki, Hokkaido, becoming the first commercially developed Japanese rocket to reach the Kármán line.