Kushimoto Prepares for Historic Rocket Launch

Mar 07, 2024 | News On Japan

Wakayama, Mar 07, 2024 (News On Japan) - Kushimoto, located at the southernmost tip of Honshu, is on the brink of opening a new path for Japan's space industry with the launch of KAIROS scheduled for Saturday.

Kushimoto Prepares for Historic Rocket Launch Courtesy of Space One Co

This launch comes with several "firsts" for Japan. Until now, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) has led rocket launches and satellite orbit insertions, using JAXA's exclusive launch sites. This time, the launch will take place at Japan's first civilian rocket launch site. If a civilian rocket successfully carries a government satellite into orbit, it will be another first for Japan.

One of the main selling points of this civilian rocket is that it can be launched within a year of receiving a request. Professor Shinichi Nakasuka from the University of Tokyo Graduate School says, "Satellite development is moving from '5-6 years' to '1-2 years.' There are cases where satellites scheduled for other rockets are postponed due to government missions or rocket malfunctions. There's a market for 'leftover satellites' from launches."

The rocket is named "Kairos" after the ancient Greek word for "time", embodying a strong will to "dominate the market by making time an ally."

The success or failure of this rocket launch will have a significant impact on the town's future.

In preparation for the launch, two paid viewing areas have been set up, and a total of 5,000 seats sold out in just two days.

A local confectionery store, not wanting to miss the opportunity to attract visitors, is selling manju shaped like rockets. It took four years to complete the product. Masao Maruyama, the manufacturing manager, says, "I hope people who come to see the rocket will eat the sweets I made with my heart, feel the memories of the rocket and Kushimoto, and think it was good to come to Kushimoto."

The "Rocket Promotion Room" was created a few years ago in anticipation of the rocket launch. This department, in collaboration with surrounding municipalities, handles various adjustments related to the launch and plans events.

This civilian rocket is not a one-time event. The goal is to eventually conduct 30 launches a year in Kushimoto Town. This represents a "major turning point" for the town. Kazuma Higashida, chief of the Kushimoto Town Rocket Promotion Room, says, "We are facing issues like population decline and aging. We hope that this rocket will lead to economic and industrial development, create jobs, and help curb these issues. I hope this first launch will mark the beginning of 'Rocket Town Kushimoto.'"

Next month, a "Space Exploration Course" will be newly established at a public high school in the prefecture for the first time nationwide. The curriculum, which uses White Puzzles employed in astronaut recruitment exams, aims to produce talents who can excel in space. Toru Fujishima, a teacher at Kushimoto Kozagawa High School who worked at JAXA for 9 years, says, "I think Kushimoto is currently thriving in tourism and fishing. If space becomes the third pillar, students can learn a lot and go out from Kushimoto to take on Japan's space."

Source: ANN

Tokyo University Professor Wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Tokyo University of Science professor emeritus Kenzo Soai has been awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with French chemist Henri B. Kagan for discoveries that transformed scientists' understanding of how chemical reactions can favor one of two mirror-image forms of a molecule.

Typhoon No. 28 Heads East as No. 29 Strengthens Near Ogasawara

Strong Typhoon No. 28 is expected to move away from Japan into the Pacific, while Typhoon No. 29 is forecast to intensify into a very strong storm near the Ogasawara Islands, with uncertainty over its eventual path leaving open the possibility of an approach toward Japan. As of 3 p.m. on October 7, Typhoon No. 28 was moving west at about 35 kilometers per hour over waters south of Japan.

US Military Halts All Okinawa Operations for 48 Hours

The US military suspended activities by all forces stationed in Okinawa for 48 hours from noon on October 7, an unusual measure following the arrest of a US Marine in connection with a robbery and murder case that has renewed scrutiny of crimes involving American service members.

Qilin Hacker Detained in Japan

A core member of the international ransomware group Qilin was detained in Japan and handed over to German authorities, according to people familiar with the case, as Japanese companies and institutions face a growing wave of cyberattacks that has exposed nearly 15 million pieces of personal information this month alone.

Year of the Sheep Postcards Arrive in Hokkaido

New Year postcards for 2027 arrived at post offices across Hokkaido on October 6, with designs featuring sheep for the upcoming Year of the Sheep as Japan's traditional New Year card market continues to shrink.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Sci-Tech NEWS

Hackers Warn Japan Has One of World's Worst Cybersecurity Systems

The ransomware group Qilin, accused of carrying out repeated cyberattacks against companies including Asahi Group Holdings, has warned that attacks targeting Japanese companies and government agencies could increase after a suspected core member was detained in Osaka and extradited to Germany.

Qilin Hacker Detained in Japan

Japan Startup Begins Building Rare Earth Production Facility

Miresso, a Japanese startup backed by trading house Mitsui & Co., has announced the start of construction of a facility to produce beryllium, a rare metal essential for nuclear fusion power generation, with plans to manufacture 100 tons annually, equivalent to about one-third of current global production.

World’s First iPS Cell Heart Surgery Performed in Osaka

A woman in her 50s with severe heart failure underwent what was described as the world's first surgery using commercially available iPS cell-derived heart muscle sheets at an Osaka hospital on September 29, marking the first practical use of the regenerative treatment.

Japan's Storks Make Remarkable Comeback

Japan's wild population of Oriental storks has exceeded 700 birds following decades of conservation efforts, with successful breeding across the country putting the population on track to surpass 1,000 within two years.

Rare Pod of About 50 Dolphins Spotted in Seto Inland Sea

A rare pod of around 50 dolphins was spotted swimming through the Seto Inland Sea off Ozu, Ehime Prefecture, with dozens of dorsal fins repeatedly breaking the surface as the animals moved together.

Cybercab Arrives in Japan

Tesla unveiled its Cybercab in Japan for the first time on September 11, showcasing an AI-powered autonomous taxi designed without a steering wheel or pedals.

Footage Shows Tokyo Flood Control Tunnel After Heavy Rain

Large volumes of floodwater poured into the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel in Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture, following heavy rain on September 7, prompting the massive underground flood-control facility known as the "Underground Temple" to go into operation.

< 2 3 4 5 >