H-I

H-I

The H-I rocket
Function Carrier rocket
Manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Country of origin  Japan
Size
Height 42 metres (138 ft)
Diameter 2.44 metres (8.0 ft)
Mass 142,260 kilograms (313,600 lb)
Stages 2 or 3
Capacity
Payload to
LEO		 3,200 kilograms (7,100 lb)
Payload to
GTO		 1,100 kilograms (2,400 lb)
Associated rockets
Family Thor
Comparable Delta
Launch history
Status Retired
Launch sites LA-N, Tanegashima
Total launches 9
Successes 9
Maiden flight 12 August 1986
Last flight 11 February 1992
Boosters (Stage 0) - Castor 2
No boosters 6 or 9
Engines 1 TX-354-3
Thrust 258.9 kilonewtons (58,200 lbf)
Specific impulse 262 sec
Burn time 37 seconds
Fuel Solid
First Stage - Thor-ELT
Engines 1 MB-3-3
Thrust 866.7 kilonewtons (194,800 lbf)
Specific impulse 290 sec
Burn time 270 seconds
Fuel RP-1/LOX
Second Stage
Engines 1 LE-5
Thrust 102.9 kilonewtons (23,100 lbf)
Specific impulse 450 sec
Burn time 370 seconds
Fuel LH2/LOX
Third Stage (optional)
Engines 1 UM-129A
Thrust 77.4 kilonewtons (17,400 lbf)
Specific impulse 291 sec
Burn time 68 seconds
Fuel Solid

The H-I or H-1 was a Japanese liquid-fuelled carrier rocket, consisting of a licence-produced American first stage and set of booster rockets, and all-Japanese upper stages. It was launched nine times between 1986 and 1992. It replaced the N-II, and was subsequently replaced by the H-II, which used the same upper stages with a Japanese first stage.

The first stage of the H-I was a licence-built version of the Thor-ELT, which was originally constructed for the US Delta 1000 rocket. The stage had already been licence produced in Japan for the N-I and N-II rockets. The second stage was entirely Japanese, using an LE-5 engine. On launches to Geosynchronous transfer orbits, a Nissan-produced UM-129A solid motor was used as a third stage. Depending on the mass of the payload, either six or nine US Castor 2 SRMs would be used as booster rockets.

Launch history

Date/Time (GMT) S/N Payload Orbit Remarks
12 August 1986, 20:45 15(F) EGP (Ajisai) LEO 9 SRMs, 2 stages
27 August 1987, 09:20 17(F) ETS-5 (Kiku-5) GTO 9 SRMs, 3 stages
19 February 1988, 10:05 18(F) CS-3A (Sakura-3A) GTO 9 SRMs, 3 stages
16 September 1988, 09:59 19(F) CS-3B (Sakura-3B) GTO 9 SRMs, 3 stages
5 September 1989, 18:11 20(F) GMS-4 (Himawari-4) GTO 6 SRMs, 3 stages
7 February 1990, 01:33 21(F) MOS-1B (Momo-1B) LEO 9 SRMs, 2 stages
28 August 1990, 09:05 22(F) BS-3A (Yuri-3A) GTO 9 SRMs, 3 stages
25 August 1991, 08:40 23(F) BS-3B (Yuri-3B) GTO 9 SRMs, 3 stages
11 February 1992, 01:50 24(F) JERS-1 (FUYO-1) LEO 9 SRMs, 2 stages

See also

References

Current
Planned
Previous
  • ‡ – Falcon 1 was designed for partial reuse. However, recovery failed on the first three flights and the remaining vehicles were flown expendably.
JAXA
Active
Planned
Epsilon
ISAS
Retired
Lambda (4S) · Mu (4S · 3C · 3H · 3S · 3SII · V)
NASDA
Retired
N-I* · N-II* · H-I* · H-II
Other
Cancelled
Retired
  • - Based around licence produced US rockets