GX (rocket)
Introduction


**GX** was a design for an [expendable launch system](/wiki/Expendable_launch_system "Expendable launch system") intended to compete in the commercial [satellite](/wiki/Satellite "Satellite") launch sector. The system had developed by **Galaxy Express Corporation**, a joint venture between [IHI Corporation](/wiki/IHI_Corporation "IHI Corporation") (IHI), the [Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency](/wiki/Japan_Aerospace_Exploration_Agency "Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency") (JAXA), [United Launch Alliance](/wiki/United_Launch_Alliance "United Launch Alliance") (ULA), [Lockheed Martin Corporation](/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_Corporation "Lockheed Martin Corporation") (LM) and several other Japanese companies.

The GX design uses a two\-stage [rocket](/wiki/Rocket "Rocket"). The first stage would have been the Atlas [Common Core Booster](/wiki/Common_Core_Booster "Common Core Booster"), currently used as the first stage of the [Atlas V](/wiki/Atlas_V "Atlas V") rocket, which would have been provided by United Launch Alliance.  The second stage was to be a newly designed stage produced by IHI, using [liquefied natural gas](/wiki/Liquefied_natural_gas "Liquefied natural gas") as fuel and [liquid oxygen](/wiki/Liquid_oxygen "Liquid oxygen") as an oxidizer. The GX would have been the only space vehicle to use that combination of fuel and oxidizer.

The Japanese government finally abandoned the GX program in December 2009\. Galaxy Express disbanded around March 2010\.


How does the use of liquefied natural gas and liquid oxygen as fuel and oxidizer impact the environment?