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Before the launch of AVSA, Itokawa held a lecture sponsored by Keidanren (Japan Federation of Economic Organizations) on October 3, 1953, and gathered manufacturers who would be interested in rockets and guided missiles. The total number of attendants was about 40, which included representatives from 13 companies: Nippei Sangyo, Tokyo Keiki, Mitsubishi Zosen, Hokushin, Tokyo Aircraft Instrument, Toshiba, Nippon Electric Company, New Mitsubishi, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Hitachi, Nihon Jet Engine, Japan Radio and Fuji Seimitsu, as they were called at that time, and about 6 people from the National Security Board. Itokawa started his lecture by describing the latest status of rocket development in the U.S. and then explained about the solid propellant rocket, liquid propellant rocket and nuclear rocket. He then delivered a long passionate speech on various fields including a guidance system, aerodynamics, etc., which lasted approximately two hours. Yasuaki Toda from Fuji Seimitsu also attended this lecture.
My boss told me to go and listen to Professor Itokawa's lecture and that was the first time I saw his face. The lecture explained that research on jet engines was lagging in Japan, but with this vehicle called a rocket, we can still keep up with the U.S. The lecture started by describing the principal of the rocket and we listened to the complicated lecture about aerodynamics, guidance related topics, etc. Although my company sent me to the lecture, I knew nothing about rockets, and put the issue aside when I returned to my office. After a while, my boss suddenly told me, "You have to cooperate with Professor Itokawa and lead rocket development work for our company." So I was suddenly forced to take rocket development seriously. (Toda)
Right after that, Hideo Itokawa suddenly visited Taira Hiraoka, who had been working with liquid propellant rockets before the war, at the Nagasaki factory of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Itokawa wanted to check if Mitsubishi could support him with space development. Hiraoka wrote about his visit, "At that time, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was divided into three heavy industries and had no knowledge about space development. Meanwhile, in a mere four years from then, the U.S.S.R. had launched their first artificial satellite. People from a countryside office like Nagasaki naturally didn't recognize about space development, but people from the main office in Tokyo also failed to comprehend Itokawa's idea."
Itokawa once again visited the main office of Mitsubishi and talked to us once more, but "at that time, our company felt we couldn't keep pace with his excellent idea and ought to decline his request." (Hiraoka)
Similarly, Itokawa visited several companies after his lecture at Keidanren to look for cooperation with his rocket development plan, but none of them were willing to offer him support. A brash Kounosuke Matsushita, who is now deceased, said, "Professor Itokawa, that kind of project doesn't make money. You are talking about something that will not show results for 50 years."
Only one company, Fuji Seimitsu, where Itokawa used to work before the war, pledged to support him. After that, however, a group was established through Prince Motor Company and Nissan Motor Company to become the current IHI Aerospace. This group has always supported the core of Japanese space development. When Fuji Seimitsu offered its cooperation to develop a solid propellant rocket, Itokawa's former coworker at Nakajima Aircraft Industries, Ryoichi Nakagawa, was serving as a director there and Yasuaki Toda was Director of the Engineering Department at the Ogikubo factory of Fuji Seimitsu who received a mandate from Nakagawa.
Upon receiving the order to develop a rocket, I thought I was in a lot of trouble, as I didn't even know what the word "rocket" meant. In October 1953, I met Professor Itokawa for the first time and, impressed by his enthusiasm, promised to support him. I could do nothing but just be astonished by his power -- his sharp mind, quick comprehension, and ability to persuade ministers and bureaucrats, and his manner in dealing with the media. (Toda)
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