Ibaraki Prefecture supports venture company to launch small rocket at sea February 6 5:40
A venture company, which Ibaraki Prefecture is helping to promote in the space-related industry, will launch a small rocket this month on the sea off Ibaraki Prefecture. This is the first rocket launch at sea with the support of the government.
Ibaraki Prefecture is focusing on supporting companies in the space-related business due to the fact that JAXA has the facilities of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency in Tsukuba.
Under such circumstances, the venture company “ASTROCEAN”, which is supported by the prefecture, launched a small research rocket, about 3 meters in length, produced by a student group at the University of Tsukuba. To launch to about a kilo.
The launch from the sea was done by the company last year off the coast of Chiba Prefecture, but with the support of the government, the launch at sea is the first case in Japan.
According to people involved in the space business, launching the rocket is expected to increase the number of launches at sea because coordination with fisheries officials and local governments is required for launching and the time and place are limited.
Ibaraki Prefecture hopes to boost the launch at sea and create successful examples of space-related businesses, which will lead to the promotion of related industries in the prefecture.