JAXA Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

	Leading edge, efficient and economical technology Japanese main large-scale launch vehicle, H-IIA H-IIA, Japan's primary large-scale launch vehicle, is designed to meet diverse launch demands, at lower cost and with a high degree of reliability, by making the best use of the H-II launch-vehicle technology. The simplified design and improved efficiency of the manufacturing and launch processes of H-IIA have achieved one of the highest performance to cost ratio of launch system in the world, reducing the cost of launches by a half or more. H-IIA launch service operations have been transferred to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, LTD. ahead of the launch of H-IIA Flight 13. JAXA is in charge of launch safety management (including ground safety confirmation, flight safety assurance, and overall countdown control and supervision.) JAXA is conducting the H-IIA upgrade project to improve the H-IIA launch capability and its global competitiveness.

Leading edge, efficient and economical technology Japanese main large-scale launch vehicle, H-IIA

H-IIA, Japan's primary large-scale launch vehicle, is designed to meet diverse launch demands, at lower cost and with a high degree of reliability, by making the best use of the H-II launch-vehicle technology. The simplified design and improved efficiency of the manufacturing and launch processes of H-IIA have achieved one of the highest performance to cost ratio of launch system in the world, reducing the cost of launches by a half or more.
H-IIA launch service operations have been transferred to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, LTD. ahead of the launch of H-IIA Flight 13. JAXA is in charge of launch safety management (including ground safety confirmation, flight safety assurance, and overall countdown control and supervision.)

JAXA is conducting the H-IIA upgrade project to improve the H-IIA launch capability and its global competitiveness.

Project Topics

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Oct. 29, 2018 Updated

Successful Launch, H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 40 Encapsulating "IBUKI-2"(GOSAT-2) and KhalifaSat

	The H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 40 with the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite-2 "IBUKI-2"(GOSAT-2) and KhalifaSat, a remote sensing Earth observation satellite onboard lifted off at 13:08:00 p.m. on October 29, 2018 (Japan Standard Time) from the Tanegashima Space Center. The launch and flight of H-IIA F40 proceeded as planned. So did the separation of GOSAT-2 and KhalifaSat, which was confirmed respectively at approximately 16 minutes and 09 seconds and 24 minutes and 15 seconds after lifto... More to read Press Release (10/29)

The H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 40 with the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite-2 "IBUKI-2"(GOSAT-2) and KhalifaSat, a remote sensing Earth observation satellite onboard lifted off at 13:08:00 p.m. on October 29, 2018 (Japan Standard Time) from the Tanegashima Space Center. The launch and flight of H-IIA F40 proceeded as planned. So did the separation of GOSAT-2 and KhalifaSat, which was confirmed respectively at approximately 16 minutes and 09 seconds and 24 minutes and 15 seconds after lifto...

More to read

Press Release (10/29)

Press Release

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Oct. 29, 2018 (16:30) [release]

Launch Results of the H-IIA F40 Encapsulating GOSAT-2 and KhalifaSat
Oct. 27, 2018 (14:00) [release]

Launch Time of the H-IIA F40 Encapsulating GOSAT-2 and KhalifaSat

Characteristics of H-IIB Launch Vehicle

Major Characteristics

Major Specifications of the H-IIA launch vehicle

Length (m)	53
Liftoff mass (t)	289 (without payload mass)
Guidance Method	Inertial Guidance Method

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Item
	First Stage	SRB-A	SSB	Second Stage	Payload
Length (m)	37.2	15.1	14.9	9.2	12
Diameter (m)	4	2.5	1	4	4.07
Mass (t)	114	151 (2 units)	31 (2 units)	20	1.4
Propellant mass	101.1	130 (2 units)	52.4 (4 units)	16.9	-
Thrust (KN)	1,098	5,040 (2 units)	1,490 (2 units)	137	-
Burning time (s)	390	100	60	530	-
Propellant	Lox/LH2	Polybutadiene composite solid propellant	Polybutadiene composite solid propellant	Lox/LH2	-
Propellant Loading Method	Turbo pomp	-	-	Turbo pomp	-
Specific Impulse (s)	440	283	282	448	-
Attitude control method	Gimbal engine system Auxiliary engine	Gimballed nozzle system	Gimballed nozzle system	Gimbal engine system Gas jet system	-
Avionics	Control Systems, Telemetry Transmitter	-	-	Guidance Navigation, and Control Systems, Rader Transponder, Telemetly Transmitter, Command Destruct Receiver	-

Launch Capability (H-IIA Standard)

Orbit	Altitude	Payloads
Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO)	about 36,000km	about 4t
Low Earth Orbit (Inclination:30 degrees)	about 300km	about 10t
Sun Synchronous Orbit (Summer/Other seasons)	about 800km	about 4t / about 3.8t
Escape from the Earth Gravitation	Planetary Mission	about 2.5t

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H-IIA Lineup

H-IIA Launch Vehicle can be in various configurations by installing solid rocket boosters (SRB-As) additionally. H-IIA can answer various launch needs of payload size and weight by its family members.

* Currently, only H2A202 and H2A204 types are in operation.

Upgrading JAXA's flagship launch vehicle

JAXA is proud of the launch success rate of the H-IIA Launch Vehicle, which is among the highest levels in the world. However, as it has been 14 years since its maiden launch, some issues have been raised such as the aging launch facility and the need for a larger payload launch capacity. JAXA is conducting the H-IIA upgrade project to tackle those issues. We will achieve more efficient launch vehicle operations by improving H-IIA launch capability and its global competitiveness, and simplifying the ground facility.

H-IIA Upgrade Project

Improved function and performance

(1) Enhanced launch capacity of a geostationary satellite
By increasing the duration of flight time and the number of engine ignitions, more flexible flight patterns become possible, and the launch capability of a geostationary satellite is also increased.

H-IIA UPGRADE - Moving to a new stage
Enhanced launch performance to cope with geostationary satellite launch ? Adopting it to the H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 29

(2) Easing the onboard environmental restriction for payloads
The onboard environment has been improved for payloads to among the highest levels in the world by adopting a mechanism that is not based on pyrotechnics.

Reducing maintenance/renovation costs of facility

(3) Simplified ground facility
Ground tracking radars are no longer necessary as the onboard flight safety navigation sensor was developed.

Launch Records

Flight No.	Model	Launch Date	Payload
F35	H2A204	8/19/2017	Quasi-Zenith Satellite-3 "MICHIBIKI No. 3"
F34	H2A202	6/1/2017	Quasi-Zenith Satellite-2 "MICHIBIKI No. 2"
F33	H2A202	3/17/2017	IGS (Information Gathering Satellites)
F32	H2A204	1/24/2017	X-band defense communication satellite-2
F31	H2A202	11/2/2016	Geostationary Meteorological Satellite "Himawari-9"
F30	H2A202	2/17/2016	X-ray Astronomy Satellite "Hitomi" (ASTRO-H)
H-IIA UPGRADE F29	H2A204	11/24/2015	Telstar 12 VANTAGE
F28	H2A202	3/26/2015	IGS (Information Gathering Satellites)
F27	H2A202	2/1/2015	IGS (Information Gathering Satellites)
F26	H2A202	12/3/2014	Asteroid Explorer "Hayabusa2"
F25	H2A202	10/7/2014	Geostationary Meteorological Satellite "Himawari-8"
F24	H2A202	5/24/2014	Advanced Land Observing Satellite-2 "DAICHI-2" (ALOS-2)
F23	H2A202	2/28/2014	Global Precipitation Measurement/Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (GPM/DPR)
F22	H2A202	1/27/2013	IGS (Information Gathering Satellites)
F21	H2A202	5/18/2011	Global Change Observation Mission 1st - Water "SHIZUKU" (GCOM-W1) Small Demonstration Satellite-4 (SDS-4)
F20	H2A202	12/12/2011	IGS (Information Gathering Satellites)
F19	H2A202	9/23/2011	IGS (Information Gathering Satellites)
F18	H2A202	9/11/2010	Quasi-Zenith Satellite-1 "MICHIBIKI"
F17	H2A202	5/21/2010	Venus Climate Orbiter "AKATSUKI" (PLANET-C) Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun "IKAROS"
F16	H2A202	11/28/2009	IGS (Information Gathering Satellites)
F15	H2A202	1/23/2009	Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite "IBUKI" (GOSAT) Small Demonstration Satellite-1 (SDS-1)
F14	H2A2024	2/23/2008	Wideband InterNetworking engineering test and Demonstration Satellite "KIZUNA" (WINDS)
F13	H2A2022	9/14/2007	SELenological and ENgineering Explorer "KAGUYA" (SELENE)
F12	H2A2024	2/24/2007	IGS (Information Gathering Satellites)
F11	H2A204	12/18/2006	Engineering Test Satellite VIII "KIKU No.8" (ETS-VIII)
F10	H2A202	9/11/2006	IGS (Information Gathering Satellites)
F9	H2A2024	2/18/2006	Multi-functional Transport Satellite-2 "Himawari-7" (MTSAT-2)
F8	H2A2022	1/24/2006	Advanced Land Observing Satellite "Daichi" (ALOS)
F7	H2A2022	2/26/2005	Multi-Functional Transport Satellite-1 Replacement "Himawari-6" (MTSAT-1R)
F6	H2A2024	11/29/2003	IGS (Information Gathering Satellites) * H-IIA F6 was consequently destroyed by a destruction command from the ground as the vehicle did not gain enough height and speed due to the failure.
F5	H2A2024	3/28/2003	IGS (Information Gathering Satellites)
F4	H2A202	12/14/2002	Advanced Earth Observation Satellite-II "Midori II" (ADEOS-II) Engineering Test Satellite "Micro-LabSat" Whale Ecology Observation Satellite (WEOS) Federation Satellite (FedSat)
F3	H2A2024	9/10/2002	Data Relay Test Satellite "KODAMA" (DRTS) Unmanned Space Experiment Recovery System (USERS)
TF2	H2A2024	2/4/2002	Mission Demonstration test Satellite-1 "TSUBASA" (MDS-1) H-IIA Vehicle Evaluation Payload #3 (VEP-3) DASH (Demonstrator of Atmospheric Reentry System with Hyper Velocity)
TF1	H2A202	8/29/2001	Laser Ranging Equipment (LRE) H-IIA Vehicle Evaluation Payload #2 (VEP-2)