N-II (rocket)

N-II (rocket)

The N-II rocket
Function Carrier rocket
Manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Country of origin  United States (design)
 Japan (production)
Size
Height 35 metres (115 ft)
Diameter 2.44 metres (8.0 ft)
Mass 132,690 kilograms (292,500 lb)
Stages 2 or 3
Capacity
Payload to
LEO		 2,000 kilograms (4,400 lb)
Payload to
GTO		 730 kilograms (1,600 lb)
Associated rockets
Family Delta
Launch history
Status Retired
Launch sites LA-N, Tanegashima
Total launches 8
Successes 8
Maiden flight 11 February 1981
Last flight 19 February 1987
Boosters (Stage 0) - Castor 2
No boosters 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 - Delta-F
Engines 1 AJ-10-118F
Thrust 41.3 kilonewtons (9,300 lbf)
Specific impulse 280 sec
Burn time 335 seconds
Fuel HNO3/UDMH
Third Stage (optional) - Star-37E
Engines 1 solid
Thrust 68 kilonewtons (15,000 lbf)
Specific impulse 284 sec
Burn time 42 seconds
Fuel Solid
Third Stage (alternative, optional) - Burner-2
Engines 1 solid
Thrust 43.6 kilonewtons (9,800 lbf)
Specific impulse 285 sec
Burn time 42 seconds
Fuel Solid

The N-II or N-2 was a derivative of the American Delta rocket, produced under licence in Japan. It used a Thor-ELT first stage, a Delta-F second stage, nine Castor SRMs, and on most flights either a Star-37E or Burner-2 upper stage, identical to the US Delta 0100 series configurations. Eight were launched between 1981 and 1987, before it was replaced by the H-I, which featured Japanese-produced upper stages. All eight launches were successful.

Launch history

Date/Time (GMT) S/N Payload Orbit Remarks
11 February 1981, 08:30 7(F) ETS-4 (Kiku-3) MEO
10 August 1981, 20:03 8(F) GMS-2 (Himawari-2) GTO
4 February 1983, 08:37 10(F) CS-2A (Sakura-2A) GTO
5 August 1983, 20:29 11(F) CS-2B (Sakura-2B) GTO
23 January 1984, 07:58 12(F) BS-2A (Yuri-2A) GTO
2 August 1984, 20:30 13(F) GMS-3 (Himawari-3) GTO
12 February 1986, 07:55 14(F) BS-2B (Yuri-2B) GTO
19 February 1987, 01:23 16(F) MOS-1 (Momo-1) LEO

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