H2A204 DEVELOPMENT AND THE FIRST FLIGHT RESULT

摘要

H2A is the Japan's prime launch vehicle, which has capability of carrying 4-ton class satellite into GTO. To meet the glowing demand of launch capacity, H2A expands its family by developing the H2A204 version, which has four Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB-As) adding two SRB-As to standard H2A (H2A202). H2A204 has capability of 6-ton class satellite into GTO. Development of H2A204 had begun late 2001, and made smooth progress except holding period due to the failure of H2A Flight No.6. After the successful return-to-flight of H2A flight No.7, manufacturing of the first H2A204 flight vehicle had been resumed. Since October 2006, the Integrated System Test (IST) at the Tanegashima launch site, subjecting whole flight vehicle to verify vehicle integration and compatibility between vehicle and ground equipment, had been conducted successfully, and the first H2A204 vehicle carrying Engineering Test Satellite No.8 (ETS-VIII) was successfully launched in December 18, 2006. This paper describes the development and the result of first H2A204 flight.