N-I (rocket)
This article is about the Japanese rocket. For the Soviet rocket, see
N1 rocket.
N-I
The N-I rocket[1] |
Function |
Carrier rocket |
Manufacturer |
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries |
Country of origin |
USA (design)
Japan (production) |
Size |
Height |
34 metres (112 ft)[1] |
Diameter |
2.44 metres (8.0 ft) |
Mass |
131,330 kilograms (289,500 lb)[1] |
Stages |
2 or 3 |
Capacity |
Payload to
LEO |
1,200 kilograms (2,600 lb)[1] |
Payload to
GTO |
360 kilograms (790 lb)[1] |
Associated rockets |
Family |
Delta |
Launch history |
Status |
Retired |
Launch sites |
LA-N, Tanegashima |
Total launches |
7 |
Successes |
6 |
Failures |
1 |
Maiden flight |
9 September 1975 |
Last flight |
3 September 1982 |
Boosters (Stage 0) - Castor 2 |
No boosters |
3[2] |
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-3 |
Thrust |
52.9 kilonewtons (11,900 lbf) |
Specific impulse |
290 sec |
Burn time |
246 seconds |
Fuel |
NTO/A-50 |
Third Stage (optional) - Star-37N |
Engines |
1 solid |
Thrust |
45 kilonewtons (10,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse |
290 sec |
Burn time |
42 seconds |
Fuel |
Solid |
The N-I or N-1 was a derivative of the American Delta rocket, produced under licence in Japan. It used a Thor-ELT first stage, a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries-designed LE-3 engine was used as a second stage,[3][4][5] and three Castor SRMs.[2][6] Seven were launched between 1975 and 1982, before it was replaced by the N-II. Six of the seven launches were successful, however on the fifth flight, there was recontact between the satellite and the third stage, which caused the satellite to fail.
On 29 February 1976, the second N-I conducted the only orbital launch to occur on a leap day (as of year 2008).
Launch history
Date/Time (GMT) |
S/N |
Payload |
Orbit |
Remarks |
9 September 1975, 05:30[7] |
1(F) |
ETS-1 (JETS-1/Kiku-1) |
LEO |
|
29 February 1976, 03:30[7] |
2(F) |
ISS-1 (JISS-1/Ume-1) |
LEO |
|
23 February 1977, 08:50[7] |
3(F) |
ETS-2 (Kiku-2) |
GTO |
3rd stage used |
15 February 1978, 04:00[7] |
4(F) |
ISS-2 (JISS-2/Ume-2) |
LEO |
|
6 February 1979, 08:46[7] |
5(F) |
ECS-A (Ayame-1) |
GTO |
3rd stage used
Failure – Recontact between satellite and upper stage. |
22 February 1980, 08:35[7] |
6(F) |
ECS-B (Ayame-2) |
GTO |
3rd stage used |
3 September 1982, 05:00[7] |
9(F) |
ETS-3 (Kiku-3) |
LEO |
|
See also
References
|
|
|
|
Subsidiaries |
|
|
|
Joint ventures |
|
|
Products |
Aircraft
|
|
|
Armored vehicles
|
|
|
Launch vehicles
|
|
|
Missiles
|
|
|
Ships
|
|
|
Submarines
|
|
|
Other
|
|
|
|
People |
|
|
Other |
|
|
Products currently in development shown in italics
Category
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Thor and Delta rockets
|
|
Main articles |
|
|
|
Rockets |
Thor
|
|
|
Delta
|
Alphabetical
|
|
|
Numerical
|
|
|
Modern
|
|
|
|
Export
|
|
|
|
Launch Sites |
|
|
Components |
Boosters
|
|
|
First Stages
|
|
|
Upper Stages
|
|
|
Engines
|
|
|
|
Manufacturers |
|
|
Launches |
|
|