Design and Development Status of Experimental Winged Rocket WIRES#015

Akira Watanabe, Koichi Yonemoto, Takahiro Fujikawa, Takahiro Matsukami, Tsuyoshi Otsuki, Yuto Kitazono, Yasuhiro Koshida, Masaaki Murakami, Tomataka Watanabe, Hina Atarashi, Hidetoshi Takeyama, Shintaro Tejika, Yuito Fujii, Raizo Matsuda, Yusuke Mine, Ayaka Yamazaki, Sho Yoshida, Toshiki Morito

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Research on winged reusable space transportation systems and flight demonstration by experimental winged rockets called WInged REusable Sounding rocket (WIRES) have been conducted by researchers and laboratory graduates since 2005. WIRES#015 has been developed by Tokyo University of Science, the university start-up SPACE WALKER Inc., and JAXA in collaboration with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and Swedish Space Corporation (SSC). It has a total length of 4.6 m, launch mass of 1000 kg, and maximum flight altitude of 5.5 km, which is a comprehensive technology demonstrator for technical issues such as the liquid oxygen/liquefied natural gas engine, reaction control system, airframe structure, and propellant tanks made of carbon fiber reinforced plastics and autonomous guidance, navigation, and control systems. Currently, WIRES#015 is in the sustaining design phase. The airframe structure will be manufactured by March 2022 in cooperation with Toray Carbon Magic Co., Ltd. and Mooncraft Co., Ltd. and subjected to structural tests. In 2023, the captive firing test (CFT) will be conducted. The first flight demonstration will be performed in early 2024. Three additional flight demonstrations are planned from 2025 to 2026. In this paper, we describe the development status of WIRES#015 and its development schedule.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Proceedings of the 2021 Asia-Pacific International Symposium on Aerospace Technology APISAT 2021, Volume 1
EditorsSangchul Lee, Cheolheui Han, Jeong-Yeol Choi, Seungkeun Kim, Jeong Ho Kim
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Pages323-337
Number of pages15
ISBN (Print)9789811926884
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023
EventAsia-Pacific International Symposium on Aerospace Technology, APISAT 2021 - Virtual, Online
Duration: 15 Nov 202117 Nov 2021

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Electrical Engineering
Volume912
ISSN (Print)1876-1100
ISSN (Electronic)1876-1119

Conference

ConferenceAsia-Pacific International Symposium on Aerospace Technology, APISAT 2021
CityVirtual, Online
Period15/11/2117/11/21

Keywords

  • Flight demonstration
  • Guidance and control
  • LOX/LNG engine
  • Winged rocket

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