We are also studying the mechanism of sucking up radioactive materials with sunflower and rail guns and I have been visiting "Structural Function Test Building" of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)

Production press conference of movie "Hayabusa / HAYABUSA"Along with,JAXA (Aerospace Exploration Agency)InternalA state of seeing the "projectile environment test building"We informed you, but this time we measure the strength of each part of the rocket and the satellite structure"Structural Function Test Building"It is a tour of.

Details are as below.JAXA | Sagamihara Campus

On the Sagamihara campus of JAXA, in addition to the "Aircraft Environment Test Building" and the "Structural Function Test Building" we visited this time, the "Wind Tunnel Experiment Building" which conducts research and experiments on aerodynamics related to high-speed flight such as rockets and the " There is a "special experiment building" which is a laboratory of academic experiments. In the special laboratory building,Suck up radioactive material with sunflowerResearch and development,Rail gunAttempts to make craters and so on are done and it is very worrisome.


This time we visited the structural function test building, not the special experiment building.M-V rocketDevelopment was also advanced here.


In the structural function testing building, various probes and rocket parts were arranged.


The tip of M - V rocket. Here some cork is used for the surface material. When the cork rises to high heat, gas is generated when it causes a thermal reaction to carbonize, it seems to be like a kind of mucous membrane to protect the airframe. Hayabusa's reentry capsule, the material is not corkCFRP (fiber reinforced plastic)However, it is said to have protection function by carbonization as well.



The cylinder on the right is the third stage of the rocket, and at the top is the propulsion device for introducing the orbitKick motorIt is a structure that a rover such as Hayabusa carries on it. Carbon is contained in the material, it is light and it is less likely to burst.




This is the first stage of the rocket, the material isHigh tensile steel.


This is a liquid fuel rocket. Place liquid hydrogen in the middle tank.


Liquid oxygen is put in the upper tank, and normalFuel cellIt works with the same mechanism.



The engine is connected to the bottom, but now it is removed.


This is the engine to be installed.


Furthermore, the outer shell is attached and it becomes the shape of a rocket. Unlike the ordinary rocket which escapes from the atmosphere with full power, this rocket is designed to relax the force once in the sky and then hover once, further relax the force and descend, finally spray the rocket to landing It is done.


Although ordinary rockets do not have a mechanism to adjust injection, this rocket has a mechanism like a so-called accelerator pedal. By having such a mechanism, we wanted to make it possible to use the spacecraft, which was conventionally disposable, over and over again.


When the accuracy of the reuse process of this rocket rises, it seems that we are conducting research with the view to attaching a seat on the rocket.



In the story of observing the aircraft environment test building, although it was planned that a spacecraft would arrive at Mercury in 2020, after several decades the railgun has been put to practical use and individuals also can withdraw from the atmosphere cheaply Is it supposed to be able to experience it?