Japan to launch 4 satellites, including 1 for S Korea

Japan has a long history of launching rockets and has not made threats against her neighbours for several decades.

So there's an enormous difference between the well known, legitimate and successful Japan's Space Agency and North Korea ongoing belligerence.

Hey NK, want to send somebody to take notes?

Nigelboy, Japan has had its share of failed launches as well.

nigelboy: Out of all the attempted rocket launches Japan has engaged in, hasn't only one been successful? And that was from an independent Osaka-based company, I believe.

I think you are very confused there smith. Perhaps you can start with the followings links.

http://www.jaxa.jp/pr/jaxas/pdf/jaxas014.pdf

On page 16 indicates 52 out 57 launches were successful.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_first_orbital_launches_by_nationality

This basically summarizes the basic information about orbital launches.

It is very different, the Peoples Republic has the bomb and has threatened its use. Japan does not have the bomb and has signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty treaty.

nigelboy: "I think you are very confused there smith. Perhaps you can start with the followings links."

My bad. I was thinking of the failure of the HII rockets in the late 90s and early 2000s, until the last attempt, which was successful and basically saved the industry. They've still got a ways to go to be competitive. Overall the HII DOES have a good success rate -- something like 96%, so like I said, my bad.

YuriOtani: "It is very different, the Peoples Republic has the bomb and has threatened its use. Japan does not have the bomb and has signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty treaty."

You are ReformedBasher are of course correct that the two nations are very different with respect to their space programs, but you also need to keep in mind that NK did not at all threaten Japan with the latest rocket launch, but Japan and the US INSISTED it was a missile test without going to verify.

If these four missiles are succesful, especially the one deliver the Korean satellite, it could be a good source of income for Japan; being a launch site for Asian nations without a space program.

smith: Out of all the attempted rocket launches Japan has engaged in, hasn't only one been successful? And that was from an independent Osaka-based company, I believe.

Not difficult to check the real facts before taking another sideswipe at Japan; H-IIA has 8 successful consecutive launches - 93% success rate.

http://www.jaxa.jp/article/special/transportation/kochiyama_e.html

Anyway, I'm just surprised the media isn't having a fit and automatically calling them missiles -- oh wait, it's Japan.

Perhaps because medias around the world, aside from N. Korea, believes that they are not really missles but in fact real satellites?

If SK wanted a satellite launched, they should have petitioned their northern neighbour as they had just launched a satellite a short while ago...oh wait, never mind.

I wonder if NK is going on high alert and sending PAC 3 missiles all over the country to prevent any debris from landing on them...........yeah right!

johninnaha, actually that is not true. If a foe would attack Japan with atomic devices, would America respond? They put their own cities at risk attacking with atomic bombs. Yubaru, the People Republic does not have the PAC 3 and the launch will not cross them.

smithinjapan, I was against Japan intercepting that launch. Again the 2 launches are very different. Japan is for the peaceful exploration of space. One of our launches sent supplies to the international space station.

@Yuri,

Yes, the US will respond since Japan is an ally. The issue will be on how the US should respond. Just because you think the US won't respond by A-bombing NK doesn't mean that the US won't respond to Japan's call.

Even the H-II had 5 successful launches out of 7, whereas SK has zero success so far (though their launcher is basically Russian Angala).

Anyhow, the satellites (apart from the piggybacks as of this writing) have all been successfully placed on orbit.

In fact, this marks the 15 consecutive successful flights of H2A.

Four Only? should be more considering BOJ's recent easing of monetary flow and future hike in consumption tax :(

nigelboy: Out of all the attempted rocket launches Japan has engaged in, hasn't only one been successful? And that was from an independent Osaka-based company, I believe.

Anyway, I'm just surprised the media isn't having a fit and automatically calling them missiles -- oh wait, it's Japan.

It is very different, the Peoples Republic has the bomb and has threatened its use. Japan does not have the bomb and has signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty treaty.

Yes, Yuri, but it's OK.

The US has the bomb and they will protect us.

In Okinawa - EVERYWHERE!

Might as well since Korea (both north and south) has proven that they don't have the capabilities to launch a rocket out of space.