After a two-week delay Japanese scientists have confirmed that the Epsilon Launch Vehicle, Epsilon-1, blasted off Saturday afternoon. The Epsilon-1 carried with it the Spectroscopic Planet Observatory for Recognition of Interaction of Atmosphere (SPRINT-A) remote observation telescope. The launch took place at 2 PM local time at the Uchinoura Space Center and was a successful launch and flight. After about 61 minutes, Epsilon-1 separated from the telescope.
"We would like to express our profound appreciation for the cooperation and support of all related personnel and organizations that helped contribute to the launch of the Epsilon-1," the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency stated in a press release.
Spectators at Kagoshima and a public viewing site in Tokyo cheered as the launch vehicle blasted off into space. In Tokyo, a huge screen showed the rocket "lift off in a cloud of white smoke and orange flame," AFP reports.
SPRINT-A is the world's first telescope designed for remote observations of planets from its planned orbit around Earth. Some planets it may observe include Venus, Mars and Jupiter. Epsilon-1 is a very significant step forward in launch vehicles because JAXA was able to halve their construction and launch costs with this vehicle, making the space game more affordable. Production and launch costs for the Epsilon-1 came totaled out to $37 million.
Epsilon-1 was designed to replace the M-5 rocket, which was retired in 2006 due to its extremely high cost. It is a pared-down version of previous rockets, equipped with artificial intelligence that allows the rocket to complete autonomous launch checks. Only two laptops were used to launch Epsilon-1, and just eight workers at the control center were directly involved in the launch, compared to the 150 needed when Japan launches its H2-A rocket, which is roughly twice the size of the new Espilon-1 model.
Launch was delayed at the last minute when a ground computer falsely identified a positional abnormality. It was aborted only 19 seconds before takeoff. As a result, the launch had to be delayed two weeks. Epsilon-1 is Japan's first new rocket in 12 years, and represents Japan's attempt at joining the space industry in an affordable fashion, Reuters explains.
"The successful launch moved Japan a step closer to its goal of cashing in on the international satellite launch industry," Reuters writes.
The smaller size of the craft and its autonomy also allow for fewer employees to be involved in the process, cutting personnel costs. Epsilon-1 is a good indicator of the future of space exploration, as countries and independent contractors alike seek out ways to make the industry more affordable.
