Tanegashima Space Center

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Launch of an H-IIA with Kaguya from Launch Pad 1 of the Launch Complex Yoshinobu

The Tanegashima Space Center ( Japanese 種子 島 宇宙 セ ン タ ー , Tanegashima Uchū Sentā , often abbreviated as TNSC ) is a Japanese spaceport in Minamitane on the island of Tanegashima . With an area of ​​9.7 square kilometers, the TNSC is the largest spaceport in Japan.

This is where weather, communications, earth observation and broadcast satellites are launched.

history

The rocket launch site was established in 1969 when the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA for short) was founded. Since the merger of NASDA with the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) and the National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan (NAL) to form the new Japanese space agency Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the TNSC has been owned by JAXA. Since 1975 the TNSC has also started orbital missions.

Rocket launch sites and use

The spaceport can be divided into two areas, the northern Osaki Range and the southern Takesaki Range .

Osaki Range

The Osaki Range includes two launch sites, one of which is the Launch Complex Yoshinobu (abbreviated Launch Area Y, LA-Y). It was built in 1993 for the H-II program and initially only consisted of the Launch Pad 1. In 2000, another Launch Pad was built, which was first used in 2009. H-IIA and H-IIB missiles are launched from the LA-Y. The first launch took place on February 3, 1994.
The second launch site of the Osaki Range is the Launch Complex Osaki (abbreviated Launch Area N, LA-N). The LA-N was used by JI , NI and N-II missiles . The first launch from the LA-N took place on September 9, 1975.

Takesaki Range

The southern Takesaki Range consists of the Launch Area Q and the Launch Complex Takesaki (abbreviated Launch Area T, LA-T). The LA-Q has only launched two Mu rockets so far , the first on September 2, 1974, the second on February 5, 1975. The LA-T is used to launch Lambda , MT-135, S and TR-1 utilized. Missiles have been launched from here since 1967.

Remaining terrain

To assemble the H-II missiles, the TNSC has a Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB for short), similar to the Vehicle Assembly Building of the Kennedy Space Center. It is 81 meters high and the tallest building on the TNSC. After a conversion, two H-IIA missiles can now fit into the VAB for assembly at the same time. It takes three months to assemble an H-II and one month to assemble the H-IIA.

For safety reasons, the control center for the flight of the H-II of the TNSC is 10 meters underground and 500 meters from the launch site of the rocket.

See also

Web links

Commons : Tanegashima Space Center  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Japan's battle for space. Report, series: Moderne Wunder, broadcast on November 27, 2009 20:05 - 21:00 on n-tv , original title: Man Made Marvels: HII-A Space Rocket

Coordinates: 30 ° 24 ′ 6.8 ″  N , 130 ° 58 ′ 29.6 ″  E