Q. This year, Japanese astronauts are planning a long-duration stay on the ISS for the first time. What is the significance of this event for Japan's space program? And how is the public going to benefit from the ISS?
Kibo flight control room
Astronaut Koichi Wakata is going to be the first Japanese to attempt a long-term stay in space, for about three months starting this February. Astronaut Soichi Noguchi is scheduled to live in space for six months starting near the end of this year, and astronaut Satoshi Furukawa will take off in 2011. Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki has also been given a mission on the ISS.
I think that Japanese astronauts can give the Japanese public a realistic sense of life in space. It is quite meaningful that we can conduct spaceborne experiments for Japanese by Japanese. The flights will also contribute to clinical medicine, as we'll be able to study the impact of long-term stays in space on human bodies by Japanese astronauts. The environment of Kibo, accommodating Japanese astronauts, is quite significant, for it gives Japan more freedom to conduct its own scientific experiments. At the same time, we will be able to develop operation and control technology and techniques to run a manned facility, as we operate the Tsukuba Space Center around the clock.
The results of experiments conducted on Kibo are also something to look forward to. The experiment topics have been selected after an open call for submissions, and experiments on Marangoni convection and ice crystal formation have already started. Further experiments are scheduled to study protein crystal growth, cell culture, and plant growth, for example. I think the knowledge that will be gained through these experiments will bring great benefits in pharmaceuticals, medical treatments, industrial development, and eventually in people's lives.
Apart from scientific experiments, Kibo is open to cultural and artistic activities. For example, we have held educational events, and experiments with the formation of globular water masses and the creation of images by drawing with black ink added to water. These types of activities are expected to increase in the future, to inspire the public on an emotional level.
Related Link: International Space Station
Kibo flight control room
Astronaut Koichi Wakata is going to be the first Japanese to attempt a long-term stay in space, for about three months starting this February. Astronaut Soichi Noguchi is scheduled to live in space for six months starting near the end of this year, and astronaut Satoshi Furukawa will take off in 2011. Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki has also been given a mission on the ISS.
I think that Japanese astronauts can give the Japanese public a realistic sense of life in space. It is quite meaningful that we can conduct spaceborne experiments for Japanese by Japanese. The flights will also contribute to clinical medicine, as we'll be able to study the impact of long-term stays in space on human bodies by Japanese astronauts. The environment of Kibo, accommodating Japanese astronauts, is quite significant, for it gives Japan more freedom to conduct its own scientific experiments. At the same time, we will be able to develop operation and control technology and techniques to run a manned facility, as we operate the Tsukuba Space Center around the clock.
The results of experiments conducted on Kibo are also something to look forward to. The experiment topics have been selected after an open call for submissions, and experiments on Marangoni convection and ice crystal formation have already started. Further experiments are scheduled to study protein crystal growth, cell culture, and plant growth, for example. I think the knowledge that will be gained through these experiments will bring great benefits in pharmaceuticals, medical treatments, industrial development, and eventually in people's lives.
Apart from scientific experiments, Kibo is open to cultural and artistic activities. For example, we have held educational events, and experiments with the formation of globular water masses and the creation of images by drawing with black ink added to water. These types of activities are expected to increase in the future, to inspire the public on an emotional level.
Related Link: International Space Station
Q. A new large-scale rocket, the H-IIB, will be launched in 2009, developed as a public-private partnership. What is your view on the future of Japanese space transportation?
H-IIB Launch Vehicle
The H-IIB rocket is an upgraded version of our current backbone rocket, the H-IIA. To provide more powerful thrust, the H-IIB is equipped with two H-IIA first-stage engines placed alongside each other, and has about a 16-tonne launch capacity into low Earth orbit. The initial objective of H-IIB is to launch the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) for cargo transport to the ISS. In the future, we expect to use the rocket for other missions, such as manned spacecraft and lunar and planetary explorations. I hope that the H-IIB will lead to the development of a manned space plane that travels between Earth and space.
I also think there is a strong need for launch vehicles in different sizes - large, medium and small - in order to efficiently respond to demand for launching various types of satellites. H-IIA and H-IIB are in the large-scale class, the GX rocket is in the medium class, and I think the next-generation solid rocket will be in the small class. For the GX rocket, we are developing a new engine that uses liquefied natural gas, for which we plan to start various tests using an actual flight model engine this year. Research for a next-generation solid rocket is in progress, mainly for launching scientific satellites. By making steady progress in R&D, I would like to establish an efficient space transportation system that allows us to select an appropriate rocket for each size of satellite.
Related Link: H-IIB Launch Vehicle
H-IIB Launch Vehicle
The H-IIB rocket is an upgraded version of our current backbone rocket, the H-IIA. To provide more powerful thrust, the H-IIB is equipped with two H-IIA first-stage engines placed alongside each other, and has about a 16-tonne launch capacity into low Earth orbit. The initial objective of H-IIB is to launch the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) for cargo transport to the ISS. In the future, we expect to use the rocket for other missions, such as manned spacecraft and lunar and planetary explorations. I hope that the H-IIB will lead to the development of a manned space plane that travels between Earth and space.
I also think there is a strong need for launch vehicles in different sizes - large, medium and small - in order to efficiently respond to demand for launching various types of satellites. H-IIA and H-IIB are in the large-scale class, the GX rocket is in the medium class, and I think the next-generation solid rocket will be in the small class. For the GX rocket, we are developing a new engine that uses liquefied natural gas, for which we plan to start various tests using an actual flight model engine this year. Research for a next-generation solid rocket is in progress, mainly for launching scientific satellites. By making steady progress in R&D, I would like to establish an efficient space transportation system that allows us to select an appropriate rocket for each size of satellite.
Related Link: H-IIB Launch Vehicle
Q. The Space Shuttle is scheduled to retire in 2010. What expectations do foreign space agencies, including NASA, have for the HTV as a cargo transportation system to the ISS?
HTV (H-II Transfer Vehicle)
The first HTV demonstration flight will be carried out in 2009, and after that, a demonstration flight will be launched once a year on average. Currently, Russia's Progress and Europe's ATV are used as cargo spacecraft to the ISS. The docking hatches of ATV and Progress are both round and 0.8 meters in diameter, but the HTV's square hatch, which is roughly 1.2 meters across, will make it easier to deliver a bigger payload. In addition, the HTV is the only method to deliver equipment to be used outside the space station. Having these advantages, the HTV is expected to be a very important cargo carrier after the retirement of the Space Shuttle.
However, the HTV shares a key disadvantage with Progress and the ATV: it cannot retrieve experiment samples. I am hoping that we will be able to solve this problem someday, so that samples can be returned from the ISS. Also, as the HTV is already a manned space facility, it might be possible to turn it into a manned spaceship. I believe that it is important to keep pursuing possibilities for the future of Japanese transportation technology.
Related Link: HTV (H-II Transfer Vehicle)
Q. Are there any other projects you are paying extra attention to?
Quasi-Zenith Satellite
In the area of space utilization, development of the first satellite of the Quasi-Zenith Satellites System (QZSS) is at its peak. Using only Japanese technology, the QZSS will provide advanced positioning information, for example for car navigation. We hope to be able to launch the first satellite soon to test the technology. And for Earth observation satellites, apart from IBUKI, which is scheduled for launch this year, we are developing the Global Change Observation Mission (GCOM) to observe global water circulation patterns and climate change, the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM), and the Earth Cloud, Aerosol and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE). With these missions, we would like to contribute to Earth's environmental protection.
We are also looking into development of a very low-altitude satellite that will fly at altitudes of 180 to 200 kilometers. This will help improve the accuracy of Earth's surface and weather observation. But the difficulty is that at such a low altitude there will still be slight remaining atmospheric drag, which will reduce the satellite's power and cause it to lose altitude. To solve this problem, it is essential to develop a proper altitude control system so the satellite will maintain its altitude even in very low orbit.
X-ray Astronomy Satellite ASTRO-H
For scientific satellites, the Radio-Astronomical Satellite ASTRO-G is in development, and research for the new X-ray astronomy satellite ASTRO-H is progressing. Japan is known for advanced X-ray astronomy and radio astronomy. I am hoping that the R&D will go well.
In the area of planetary exploration, various tests will be conducted for the launch of the Venus Climate Orbiter Planet-C scheduled in 2010. Also, a joint Japanese-European Mercury exploration mission, BepiColombo, is currently in development, scheduled for launch in 2014. Finally, the asteroid explorer Hayabusa is on its way back home in rough shape. The return is scheduled for next year. Knowing how hard the operation staff is working to bring it home, I am keeping an eye on the explorer, too.
Quasi-Zenith Satellite
In the area of space utilization, development of the first satellite of the Quasi-Zenith Satellites System (QZSS) is at its peak. Using only Japanese technology, the QZSS will provide advanced positioning information, for example for car navigation. We hope to be able to launch the first satellite soon to test the technology. And for Earth observation satellites, apart from IBUKI, which is scheduled for launch this year, we are developing the Global Change Observation Mission (GCOM) to observe global water circulation patterns and climate change, the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM), and the Earth Cloud, Aerosol and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE). With these missions, we would like to contribute to Earth's environmental protection.
We are also looking into development of a very low-altitude satellite that will fly at altitudes of 180 to 200 kilometers. This will help improve the accuracy of Earth's surface and weather observation. But the difficulty is that at such a low altitude there will still be slight remaining atmospheric drag, which will reduce the satellite's power and cause it to lose altitude. To solve this problem, it is essential to develop a proper altitude control system so the satellite will maintain its altitude even in very low orbit.
X-ray Astronomy Satellite ASTRO-H
In the area of planetary exploration, various tests will be conducted for the launch of the Venus Climate Orbiter Planet-C scheduled in 2010. Also, a joint Japanese-European Mercury exploration mission, BepiColombo, is currently in development, scheduled for launch in 2014. Finally, the asteroid explorer Hayabusa is on its way back home in rough shape. The return is scheduled for next year. Knowing how hard the operation staff is working to bring it home, I am keeping an eye on the explorer, too.
