Rocket launch by Japanese venture aborted after 80 seconds

Hundreds of spectators gathered

why gather to see something other countries have been doing for decades?

Dango bong Today  06:59 am JST

Hundreds of spectators gathered

why gather to see something other countries have been doing for decades?

Simply, because they are interested, i-n-t-e-r-e-s-t-e-d.

Dango bongToday 06:59 am JSTHundreds of spectators gathered

why gather to see something other countries have been doing for decades?

You can't go see rocket launches of any kind, anywhere anytime. It's an interesting thing to go see if you can.

When you don't succeed...try again guys

Looks like something built in a high school shop class...

Maybe Abe should call the Dear Leader and get some pointers.........

Dango bong

"why gather to see something other countries have been doing for decades?"

Are you trying to imply that unlike other countries, Japan hasn't been launching things? Did you miss this sentence in the article: "Japanese government-funded projects have launched more than 30 rockets"

As for why people would go to watch a launch, why not? I've seen various launches since the 1960s on TV. If I ever had a chance to see one live I might go.

kurisupisuToday  09:07 am JST

"Maybe Abe should call the Dear Leader and get some pointers........."

This was a launch by a private company. PM Abe and the government were not involved.

why gather to see something other countries have been doing for decades?

Why visit a science museum? Why go on a ferris wheel? Why go see a parade?

It's all about enjoying the spectacle, being interested in those kind of things. And if it inspires future scientists, entertainers, artists etc - even better, so.

Come on, Japan! It's not rocket science. Oh wait...

JalapenoToday 09:20 am JSTCome on, Japan! It's not rocket science. Oh wait...

This wasn't "Japan". It was a private company's launch.

I hope Mr Horie keeps trying till he gets it right. It's great to see private ventures do this.

These guys are are going to do great things. Yesterday was just a temporary set-back. Japan needs a thousand groups like this to boost the country's economy, imagination and soul.

Jalapeno

"Come on, Japan! It's not rocket science. Oh wait..."

It was not a launch by "Japan", it was the FIRST (an aspect not really made clear in the article) launch in Japan by a private company.

why gather to see something other countries have been doing for decades?

the bitterness of expat life in Japan rears its ugly head again.

This event is significant because, it is an entirely private venture, rocket built from existing market components drastically reduces cost (millions comapared to billions), if successful, it will give many communications and media companies an opportunity to put a satellite in orbit for less than a tenth of the current prices.

This a startup firm consisting of 5 guys, age averaging late 20's who live in a communal dorm adjacent to their factory.

The rocket was built with a 12million yen budget, compared to 10billion for existing equivalent models.

Hundreds of spectators gathered

why gather to see something other countries have been doing for decades?

Why gather for any concert, play, or performance?

Countries all over the world have been doing such for millennia.

Dango bongToday  06:59 am JST

Hundreds of spectators gathered

why gather to see something other countries have been doing for decades?

Japan has been launching rockets for decades too. But why lets facts get in the way of a little anti-Japan sentiment, right?

I used to launch rockets when I was a kid. All of my missions were successful except the one that got its parachute tangled in some power lines on the way down. I'd love to see the real thing someday, especially something that gets sent up into orbit. I know you can go to see them in Kyushu but I've heard the schedule is quite unpredictable since they wait for good weather.

Japanese government-funded projects have launched more than 30 rockets.

Former Livedoor Co. President and founder of Interstellar Technologies Takafumi Horie said he believed data from the test launch would prove useful.

The gov't is flush with taxpayer's money to be dishing out to private companies

while the standard of living of it's citizens is going down.

I wonder how much the gov't has spent so far for the 30 rocket launches so far

and the returns from the investment for the gov't.

I hate read articles that no effort has been put into writing.

Taiki is a small country town. Of course they are all going to cheer on something like this.

'Japanese government-funded projects have launched more than 30 rockets.'

This seems to imply that they failed launch had Japanese government money so I stand by my previous comment that Abe should get some help from countries that are able to successfully launch their own rockets......

Kurisupis,

"This seems to imply that they failed launch had Japanese government money "

I think you are assuming wrong.

Interstellar? Maybe Horiemon should have opted for a more realistic name, like Sub-orbital Technologies.

if it went off course and shot off towards N Korea the fun would really start.

How on earth did Horie manage to get Government funding ? (As appears to be suggested here). Surely with such a tarnished reputation including Prison time, he would be on some sort of black list.

The aim had been to launch the rocket, called "Momo",

..... and is that a "DMM" logo I see on the rocket?

Looks like they're attenpting to launch a sattelite to beam JAVs all over the world !

mmwkdwToday  05:35 pm JST

"How on earth did Horie manage to get Government funding ? (As appears to be suggested here). Surely with such a tarnished reputation including Prison time, he would be on some sort of black list."

Horie did NOT get any government funding! MOMO was Japan's first PRIVATELY funded rocket!

Japanese communications failure? That's ironic!

I'd bet agents of Investors did not miss this shooting.

@Educator60 - yes, you are correct, as per:

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/07/30/business/tech/launch-private-rocket-backed-horie-fails-off-hokkaido/#.WYCQiIiGOHs

Maybe Japan becomes rocket wholesale business center in the world?

N Korean rocket it has to be looked on map to measure distance. How long it flew. How high? On the contrary, this one flew,

measured by timers.

I think J Gov't scientists weeagchiing. Small,,,,, maybe, but scientifically more advanced than N Koreans.

Anything militaristic,, Japan map mouth shut.