Function | Carrier rocket |
---|---|
Manufacturer | McDonnell Douglas (design) Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (production) |
Country of origin | United States (design) Japan (production) |
Size | |
Height | 35 metres (115 ft) |
Diameter | 2.44 metres (8.0 ft) |
Mass | 132,690 kilograms (292,530 lb) |
Stages | 2 or 3 |
Capacity | |
Payload to LEO | |
Mass | 2,000 kilograms (4,400 lb) |
Payload to GTO | |
Mass | 730 kilograms (1,610 lb) |
Associated rockets | |
Family | Delta |
Launch history | |
Status | Retired |
Launch sites | Tanegashima, Osaki |
Total launches | 8 |
Success(es) | 8 |
First flight | 11 February 1981 |
Last flight | 19 February 1987 |
Boosters – Castor 2 | |
No. boosters | 9 |
Powered by | 1 TX-354-3 |
Maximum thrust | 258.9 kilonewtons (58,200 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 262 sec |
Burn time | 37 seconds |
Propellant | Solid |
First stage – Thor-ELT | |
Powered by | 1 MB-3-3 |
Maximum thrust | 866.7 kilonewtons (194,800 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 290 sec |
Burn time | 270 seconds |
Propellant | RP-1/LOX |
Second stage – Delta-F | |
Powered by | 1 AJ-10-118F |
Maximum thrust | 41.3 kilonewtons (9,300 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 280 sec |
Burn time | 335 seconds |
Propellant | HNO3/UDMH |
Third stage (optional) – Star-37E | |
Powered by | 1 solid |
Maximum thrust | 68 kilonewtons (15,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 284 sec |
Burn time | 42 seconds |
Propellant | Solid |
Third stage (alternative, optional) – Burner-2 | |
Powered by | 1 solid |
Maximum thrust | 43.6 kilonewtons (9,800 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 285 sec |
Burn time | 42 seconds |
Propellant | Solid |
The N-II or N-2 was a derivative of the American Delta rocket, produced under licence in Japan. It replaced the N-I-rocket in Japanese use. It used a Thor-ELT first stage, a Delta-F second stage, nine Castor SRMs, and on most flights either a Star-37E or Burner-2 upper stage, identical to the US Delta 0100 series configurations. Eight were launched between 1981 and 1987, before it was replaced by the H-I, which featured Japanese-produced upper stages. All eight launches were successful.