Editing M-V

{{Short description|Japanese solid-fuel rocket designed to launch scientific satellites}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox rocket
| name         = M-V
| image        = M-V launching ASTRO-E2.jpeg
| caption      = The fifth M-V launches with the [[ASTRO-EII]] spacecraft.

| function     = [[Solid rocket|All-solid]] small [[orbit]]al [[launch vehicle]]
| manufacturer = [[Nissan Motors]]<ref>{{cite book|author=Travis S. Taylor|title=Introduction to Rocket Science and Engineering|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dQHMBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA25|year=2009 |publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-1-4200-7529-8|page=25}}</ref> (-2000)<br/> [[:ja:IHIエアロスペース|IHI AEROSPACE]] (-2006)<ref name=IHIAERO>{{cite web|url=http://www.ihi.co.jp/ia/en/product/rocket.html |title=Projects&Products|publisher=IHI AEROSPACE|access-date=2011-03-08|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110406035626/http://www.ihi.co.jp/ia/en/product/rocket.html|archive-date=2011-04-06}}</ref>

| country-origin = Japan

| height       = {{cvt|30.8|m}}
| diameter     = {{cvt|2.5|m}}
| mass         = {{cvt|137500|-|139000|kg}}
| stages       = 3 or 4
| capacities   = 
 {{Infobox rocket/payload
  | location   = [[low Earth orbit]]
  | kilos      = {{cvt|1800|kg}}
 }}
 {{Infobox rocket/payload
  | location   = [[polar orbit|polar]] [[low Earth orbit|LEO]]
  | kilos      = {{cvt|1300|kg}}
 }}
| payloads     = [[HALCA]], [[Nozomi (spacecraft)|Nozomi]],<br/>[[ASTRO-E]], [[Hayabusa]]<br/>[[ASTRO-EII|Suzaku]], [[AKARI]]<br/>[[Hinode (satellite)|Hinode]]
| status       = Retired
| sites        = [[Uchinoura Space Center|Uchinoura]] M-V
| first        = '''M-V:''' 10 February 2000<br />'''M-V KM:''' 12 February 1997
| last         = '''M-V:''' 22 September 2006<br />'''M-V KM:''' 9 May 2003
| launches     = 7 ('''M-V:''' 4, '''M-V KM:''' 3)
| success      = 6 ('''M-V:''' 3, '''M-V KM:''' 3)
| fail         = 1 ('''M-V''')

| stagedata    = 
  {{Infobox rocket/stage
  | type       = stage
  | stageno    = First
  | name       = M-14
  | engines    = 1 [[solid-propellant rocket|solid]]
  | solid      = yes
  | thrust     = {{cvt|3780.345|kN}}
  | SI         = {{cvt|246|isp}}
  | burntime   = 46 seconds
  | fuel       = [[Solid-propellant rocket|Solid]]
   }}
  {{Infobox rocket/stage
  | type       = stage
  | stageno    = Second
  | name       = [[M-24 (rocket)|M-24]]
  | engines    = 1 [[solid-propellant rocket|solid]]
  | solid      = yes
  | thrust     = {{cvt|1245.287|kN}}
  | SI         = {{cvt|203|isp}}
  | burntime   = 71 seconds
  | fuel       = [[Solid-propellant rocket|Solid]]
   }}
  {{Infobox rocket/stage
  | type       = stage
  | stageno    = Third
  | name       = [[M-34 (rocket)|M-34]]
  | engines    = 1 [[solid-propellant rocket|solid]]
  | solid      = yes
  | thrust     = {{cvt|294|kN}}
  | SI         = {{cvt|301|isp}}
  | burntime   = 102 seconds
  | fuel       = [[Solid-propellant rocket|Solid]]
   }}
  {{Infobox rocket/stage
  | type       = stage
  | diff       = M-V KM
  | stageno    = Fourth
  | name       = [[KM-V1 (rocket)|KM-V1]]
  | engines    = 1 [[solid-propellant rocket|solid]]
  | solid      = yes
  | thrust     = {{cvt|51.9|kN}}
  | SI         = {{cvt|298|isp}}
  | burntime   = 73 seconds
  | fuel       = [[Solid-propellant rocket|Solid]]
  }}
}}

The '''M-V''' rocket, also called '''M-5''' or '''Mu-5''', was a Japanese [[solid-fuel rocket]] designed to launch [[Science|scientific]] [[satellite]]s. It was a member of the [[Mu (rocket family)|Mu family]] of [[rocket]]s. The [[Institute of Space and Astronautical Science]] (ISAS) began developing the M-V in 1990 at a cost of 15 billion [[Japanese yen|yen]]. It has three stages and is {{cvt|30.7|m}} high, {{cvt|2.5|m}} in [[diameter]], and weighs about {{cvt|140000|kg}}. It was capable of launching a satellite weighing {{cvt|1800|kg}} into an [[orbit]] as high as {{cvt|250|km}}.

The first M-V rocket launched the [[HALCA]] [[radio astronomy]] satellite in 1997, and the second the [[Nozomi (spacecraft)|Nozomi Mars explorer]] in July 1998. The third rocket attempted to launch the [[ASTRO-E|Astro-E]] [[X-ray]] satellite on 10 February 2000 but failed. ISAS recovered from this setback and launched [[Hayabusa]] to [[25143 Itokawa]] in 2003. The following M-V launch was the scientific [[Suzaku (satellite)|Astro-E2]] satellite, a replacement for Astro-E, which took place on 10 July 2005. The final launch was that of the [[Hinode (satellite)|Hinode]] (SOLAR-B) spacecraft, along with the [[SSSat]] [[Miniaturized satellite|microsat]] and a [[nanosatellite]], [[HIT-SAT]], on 22 September 2006.

== Launch outcomes ==
{{ #invoke:Chart | bar chart
| float   = center
| width   = 420
| height  = 320
| stack   = 1
| group 1 = 0:0:0:1:0:0:0:0:0:0 <!-- Success -->
| group 2 = 1:1:0:0:0:0:1:0:1:2 <!-- Success -->
| colors      = FireBrick: Limegreen
| group names = Failure: Success
| x legends   = 1997:'98:'99:2000:'01:'02:'03:'04:'05:'06
}}

== Launch history ==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! scope="col" | Flight No.
! scope="col" | Date and time, [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]
! scope="col" | Rocket, <br/> configuration
! scope="col" | Launch site
! scope="col" | Payload
! scope="col" | Payload <br/> mass
! scope="col" | Orbit
! scope="col" | Customer
! scope="col" | Launch <br/> outcome
|-

! scope="row" rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | M-V-1
| 12 February 1997<br/>04:50:00
| M-V
| [[Uchinoura Space Center|Uchinoura]] M-V
| MUSES-B ([[HALCA]])<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.isas.ac.jp/e/enterp/missions/halca/rocket.shtml|title=HALCA > Launch Vehicle|last=Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency {{!}} JAXA|publisher=Institute of Space and Astronautical Science|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050702014842/http://www.isas.ac.jp/e/enterp/missions/halca/rocket.shtml|archive-date=2 July 2005}}</ref>
|
|
|
| {{Success}}
|-
| colspan="8" | {{zwsp}}
|-

! scope="row" rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | M-V-3
| 3 July 1998<br/>18:12:00
| M-V
| [[Uchinoura Space Center|Uchinoura]] M-V
| PLANET-B ([[Nozomi (probe)|Nozomi]])
|
|
|
| {{Success}}
|-
| colspan="8" | {{zwsp}}
|-

! scope="row" rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | M-V-4
| 10 February 2000<br/>01:30:00
| M-V
| [[Uchinoura Space Center|Uchinoura]] M-V
| [[Suzaku (satellite)#ASTRO-E|ASTRO-E]]
|
|
|
| {{Failure}}
|-
| colspan="8" | Failure of 1st stage engine nozzle caused control system breakdown and under performance.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History ｜ ISAS |url=https://www.isas.jaxa.jp/en/about/history/ |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=History |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1 How did M-V-4 fly? |url=https://www.isas.jaxa.jp/docs/sat/astro-e/how.html |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=www.isas.jaxa.jp}}</ref> Later stages could not compensate for under performance leaving payload in {{Convert|250|mi|km}} x {{Convert|50|mi|km}} orbit and subsequent reentry.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ray |first=Justin |date=February 10, 2000 |title=Spaceflight Now {{!}} Breaking News {{!}} Astro-E believed lost following botched launch |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/m5/astroe/000210failure.html |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=spaceflightnow.com}}</ref> 
|-

! scope="row" rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | M-V-5
| 9 May 2003<br/>04:29:25
| M-V
| [[Uchinoura Space Center|Uchinoura]] M-V
| MUSES-C ([[Hayabusa]])
|
|
|
| {{Success}}
|-
| colspan="8" | {{zwsp}}
|-

! scope="row" rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | M-V-6
| 10 July 2005<br/>03:30:00
| M-V
| [[Uchinoura Space Center|Uchinoura]] M-V
| ASTRO-E2 ([[Suzaku (satellite)|Suzaku]])
|
|
|
| {{Success}}
|-
| colspan="8" | {{zwsp}}
|-

! scope="row" rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | M-V-8
| 21 February 2006<br/>21:28:00
| M-V
| [[Uchinoura Space Center|Uchinoura]] M-V
| ASTRO-F ([[Akari (satellite)|Akari]])<br />[[CUTE-1.7 + APD]]<br />SSP ([[solar sail]] sub payload)
|
|
|
| {{Success}}
|-
| colspan="8" | SSP failed to open completely
|-

! scope="row" rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | M-V-7
| 22 September 2006<br/>21:36
| M-V
| [[Uchinoura Space Center|Uchinoura]] M-V
| SOLAR-B ([[Hinode (satellite)|Hinode]]) <br />[[HIT-SAT]]<br />[[SSSat]] ([[solar sail]])
|
|
|
| {{Success}}
|-
| colspan="8" | SSSat failed after launch
|}

[[File:M-V with Astro-E satellite.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|M-V rocket with the [[ASTRO-E]] satellite.]]

== Following program ==
{{Main|Epsilon (rocket)}}

A follow on to the M-V, called the ''Epsilon Rocket'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/rockets/epsilon/index_e.html|title=Epsilon launch vehicle|access-date=2010-04-01|publisher=JAXA|archive-date=21 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121050940/http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/rockets/epsilon/index_e.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> features a lower 1.2 tonne LEO payload capability. The development aim is to reduce costs, primarily by using the [[H-IIA]] solid rocket booster as the first stage and through shorter launch preparation time. Epsilon launches are intended to cost much less than the US$70 million launch cost of a M-V.<ref name=sfn-20100811>{{cite news|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1008/11japan/|title=Asteroid probe, rocket get nod from Japanese panel|publisher=Spaceflight Now|date=11 August 2010|access-date=29 October 2012}}</ref>

The first launch, of a small scientific satellite SPRINT-A ([[Hisaki (satellite)|Hisaki]]), took place in September 2013. The initial launches will be of a two-stage version,{{citation needed|date=September 2013}} of Epsilon, with up to a 500 kilogram LEO payload capability.<ref name=JAXA-interview>{{cite web|url=http://www.jaxa.jp/article/interview/vol58/index_e.html|title=Interview: Yasuhiro Morita, Project Manager, Epsilon Launch Vehicle|publisher=JAXA|access-date=29 October 2012|archive-date=23 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121123052200/http://www.jaxa.jp/article/interview/vol58/index_e.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Potential as an intercontinental ballistic missile ==
Solid fuel rockets are the design of choice for military applications as they can remain in storage for long periods, and then reliably launch at short notice.

Lawmakers made national security arguments for keeping Japan's solid-fuel rocket technology alive after ISAS was merged into [[JAXA]], 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 [[North Korea and weapons of mass destruction|threat from North Korea]], it's scary".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.freep.com/news/nw/djapan11_20030711.htm|title=Japan ponders nuclear weapons|author=Karl Schoenberger|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=July 11, 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040625104149/http://www.freep.com/news/nw/djapan11_20030711.htm|archive-date=June 25, 2004}}</ref>

Toshiyuki Shikata, a [[Tokyo Metropolitan Government]] adviser and former lieutenant general, claimed that part of the rationale for the fifth M-V [[Hayabusa]] mission was that the reentry and landing of its return capsule demonstrated "that Japan's ballistic missile capability is credible".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203658804576638392537430156|title=In Japan, Provocative Case for Staying Nuclear|author=Chester Dawson|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=28 October 2011|access-date=13 November 2011}}</ref>

At a technical level the M-V design could be weaponised quickly (as an [[Intercontinental ballistic missile]], since only payload and guidance have to be changed) although this would be politically unlikely.<ref>{{cite report|url=http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pdffiles/PUB367.pdf#page=88|title=Paths Diverging? The Next Decade in the US-Japan Security Alliance|page=82|author=William E. Rapp|publisher=Strategic Studies Institute, [[U.S. Army War College]]|date=January 2004|access-date=29 October 2012|quote=119. Japan has the weapons grade plutonium, technology for weaponization, and delivery means in the M-V-5 rocket, indigenous, solid fueled, 1800 kg payload capacity, to go nuclear very rapidly should it choose. This dramatic step, however, would require a complete loss of faith in the American nuclear umbrella|archive-date=25 June 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060625024741/http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pdffiles/PUB367.pdf#page=88|url-status=dead}}</ref> The M-V is comparable in performance to the [[LGM-118 Peacekeeper]] ICBM.

== Comparable solid fuel rockets ==
{{Main|Comparison of solid-fuelled orbital launch systems}}
* [[Athena II]]
* [[Epsilon (rocket)|Epsilon]]
* [[Minotaur IV]]
* [[Shavit 2|Shavit]]
* [[Minotaur-C]]
* [[Vega (rocket)|Vega]]

== See also ==
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
* [[Comparison of orbital launchers families]]
* [[Comparison of orbital launch systems]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons|M-V (rocket)}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050709085839/http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/e/enterp/rockets/vehicles/m-v/index.shtml M-V page] in [http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/e/index.shtml ISAS site] of [http://www.jaxa.jp/index_e.html JAXA] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070321160909/http://www.jaxa.jp/index_e.html |date=21 March 2007 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100104024255/http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/rockets/solid/index_e.html Epsilon Launch Vehicle at JAXA]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20051122111020/http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/mv.htm M-V], [[Encyclopedia Astronautica]]

{{Expendable launch systems}}
{{Japanese launch systems}}

[[Category:Solid-fuel rockets]]
[[Category:Space launch vehicles of Japan]]