Ｈ‐ＩＩロケットの開発

Abstract

The development program of the H-II Rocket has been initiated in 1985, and now engineering model test is being progressed. The H-II Rocket is a new expendable launch vehicle to meet a demand of space activities in the 1990's, with capability of placing a 2 ton class satellite into geostationary earth orbit (GEO). After trade-off studies, LOX/LH2 propulsion system with a single main engine (LE-7) of staged combustion cycle has been selected for the 1st stage of the H-II Rocket, considering its high performance and the accumulated experience in cryogenic propulsion system technology through development of the 2nd stage (LOX/LH2) of the H-I Rocket, of which the first test flight was successfully launched in August, 1986. And the 2nd stage propulsion system will be developed by upgrading modification (tank volume increase and engine thrust up) of the H-I Rocket 2nd stage. This paper shows an outline of the propulsion systems of H-II Rocket 1st and 2nd stages, and the technical problem including the technics which was gained in the development of H-I 2nd stage propulsion system.