Having talked to Matsui about the plans underfoot revolutionize Japan’s space development by scrapping JAXA completely, it is obvious that there is considerable pressure to get the M-V, the world’s best solid SLV, operational again.
Yasunori Matogawa, who was a great help to me in understanding ISAS back when I started all this 15 years years ago put it succinctly a while back:
“Lawmakers made national security arguments for keeping Japan’s solid-fuel rocket technology alive after ISAS was merged into the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, which also has the H-IIA liquid-fuelled rocket, in 2003. The ISAS director of external affairs, Yasunori Matogawa, said, “It seems the hard-line national security proponents in parliament are increasing their influence, and they aren’t getting much criticism…I think we’re moving into a very dangerous period. When you consider the current environment and the threat from North Korea, it’s scary.”
It’s quite nice to see public sources coming out with it too: I wonder who was the brave soul to file this…
M-Vは全段固体燃料のロケットとして見た場合には、「搭載衛星に合わせた微調整がなされる半カスタムメイド品」的な側面はあるものの、概して「高精度な打ち上げが可能な固体燃料ロケット」として認識されている。そのためにアメリカから「固体燃料ロケットの技術開発のために」という名目で、伸張ノズル、ロケットモーター本体、誘導装置などのM-Vロケットに特徴的な設計や技術の提供を打診されたことがあるが、日本政府およびISASは「技術開発と学術研究を目的として開発しているロケットが軍事転用される可能性が非常に高い」という理由のため断っている。なお、H-IIやH-IIAロケットのLE-7シリーズエンジンや慣性誘導装置でも同様の事例がある。
On the other hand, the recommendations made to Maehara last month take the legitimate stand that it’s clearly ridiculous that Japan should have to rely on the H-IIA solely.
And it’s also strategically vital that the country maintain the industrial, scientific and engineering base to keep solid technology going.
Look what it’s delivering. The ASR/Epsilon- to be developed with minimal costs and fuss- everything that the J-1 should have been! The U.S. seems incapable of delivering an ORS LV system so quickly and effectively.