A Japanese aerospace startup successfully launched a small rocket into space on Saturday, making it the first model in the country designed by a private company to do so. Interstellar Technology Inc. reported that the Momo-3 unmanned rocket was launched from a test site in Hokkaido and reached an altitude of about 110 kilometers, after which it fell into the Pacific Ocean. The flight time was 10 minutes.
βIt was a complete success. We will work to achieve stable launches and mass production of rockets,β said company founder Takafumi Horie.
Momo-3 has a length of 10 meters, a diameter of 50 centimeters, and a weight of one ton. It was supposed to be launched last Tuesday, but this launch was delayed due to a failure in the fuel system.
On Saturday, the first launch attempt at 5 am was canceled at the last minute due to the discovery of another malfunction. The cause of the problem was soon identified and eliminated, after which the rocket was successfully launched. About 1000 people gathered to watch the start.
It was the venture capital company's third attempt after failures in 2017 and 2018. In 2017, the operator lost contact with Momo-1 shortly after its launch. In 2018, Momo-2 only traveled 20 meters above the ground before crashing and bursting into flames due to a problem with the control system.
Founded in 2013 by Takafumi Hori, former president of Livedoor Co., Interstellar Technology is committed to developing low-cost commercial rockets to deliver satellites into space.
Source: 3dnews.ru