Epsilon (rocket)

Epsilon

Epsilon flight F2 before launch in December 2016
Function	Launch vehicle
Country of origin	Japan
Cost per launch	US$39 million[1]
Size
Height	24.4 m (Demonstration Flight) 26 m (Enhanced) 27.2 m (Epsilon S)[2]
Diameter	2.5 m
Mass	91 t (Demonstration Flight) 95.4 t (Enhanced) ~100 t (Epsilon S)
Stages	3–4
Capacity
Payload to 250 x 500 km orbit Standard 3 stages configuration
Mass	1,500 kg (3,300 lb)
Payload to 500 km orbit Optional 4 stages configuration
Mass	700 kg (1,500 lb)
Payload to 500 km orbit Epsilon S
Mass	1,400 kg (3,100 lb)[2]
Payload to 500 km SSO Optional 4 stages configuration
Mass	590 kg (1,300 lb)
Payload to 700 km SSO Epsilon S
Mass	600 kg (1,300 lb)[2]
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	Uchinoura
Total launches	6
Success(es)	5
Failure(s)	1
Partial failure(s)	0
First flight	14 September 2013
Last flight	12 October 2022
First stage (Demonstration Flight/Enhanced) – SRB-A3
Powered by	1 solid
Maximum thrust	2,271 kN (511,000 lbf)[3]
Specific impulse	284 s (2.79 km/s)
Burn time	116 seconds
First stage (Epsilon S) – SRB-3
Powered by	1 solid
Maximum thrust	2,158 kN (485,000 lbf)[4]
Specific impulse	283.6 s (2.781 km/s)
Burn time	105 seconds
Second stage (Demonstration Flight) – M-34c
Powered by	1 solid
Maximum thrust	371.5 kN (83,500 lbf)[3]
Specific impulse	300 s (2.9 km/s)
Burn time	105 seconds
Second stage (Enhanced) – M-35
Powered by	1 solid
Maximum thrust	445 kN (100,000 lbf)[3]
Specific impulse	295 s (2.89 km/s)[5]
Burn time	129 seconds [5]
Second stage (Epsilon S) – E-21[2]
Powered by	1 solid
Maximum thrust	610 kN (140,000 lbf)[2]
Specific impulse	294.5 s (2.888 km/s)[2]
Burn time	120 seconds[2]
Third stage (Demonstration Flight) – KM-V2b
Powered by	1 solid
Maximum thrust	99.8 kN (22,400 lbf)[3]
Specific impulse	301 s (2.95 km/s)
Burn time	90 seconds
Third stage (Enhanced) – KM-V2c
Powered by	1 solid
Maximum thrust	99.6 kN (22,400 lbf)[3]
Specific impulse	299 s (2.93 km/s)[5]
Burn time	91 seconds[5]
Third stage (Epsilon S) – E-31[6]
Powered by	1 solid
Maximum thrust	135 kN (30,000 lbf)[6]
Specific impulse	~295 s (2.89 km/s)
Burn time	108 seconds[6]
Fourth stage (Optional) – CLPS
Maximum thrust	40.8 N (9.2 lbf)
Specific impulse	215 s (2.11 km/s)[3]
Burn time	1100 seconds (maximum)
Propellant	Hydrazine
[edit on Wikidata]

The Epsilon Launch Vehicle, or Epsilon rocket (イプシロンロケット, Ipushiron roketto) (formerly Advanced Solid Rocket), is a Japanese solid-fuel rocket designed to launch scientific satellites. It is a follow-on project to the larger and more expensive M-V rocket which was retired in 2006. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) began developing the Epsilon in 2007. It is capable of placing a 590 kg payload into Sun-synchronous orbit.^[7]