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A report, proposing
the development of a two-stage space plane during the 2010s, was
submitted to Japan’s Space Activities Commission. The report’s
findings recommended Japan develop a reusable rocket so that lower
costs and increased reliability might allow Japan to explore new
business opportunities such as tourism and energy production in
outer space.
The
proposed space plane would be modeled on the HOPE-X unmanned space
shuttle Japan plans to launch with an H-2A rocket in fiscal 2004.
The lower-part, high-speed aircraft would take off, carrying the
upper-part, wing-furnished rocket. After the two parts are
separated, the aircraft would touch down, while the rocket would
fly on to orbit Earth to put a satellite into orbit before
reentering Earth's atmosphere for landing. The report pointed out
that savings on costs are limited for a one- time-use rocket such
as the H-2A being developed by the National Space Development
Agency of Japan.
Japan’s Space Activities
Commission will map out medium- and long-term space development
strategies by the end of the year.
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