Teeny-tiny 3 tonne rocket the size of a telegraph pole !
The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency has set a record for the smallest-ever rocket to launch a satellite into orbit, using a SS-520 sounding rocket modified to include a third stage carrying a 13.6-inch TRICOM-1R cubesat as its payload.
The Japan Times reported that the rocket was “about the size of a utility pole, measuring 10 meters [33 feet] in length and 50 centimeters [20 inches] in diameter,” and that it was built using “components found in home electronics and smartphones.”
According to JAXA documents, the SS-520-5 weighed nearly 2.9 tons (2.6 metric tons) at launch, with nearly 2.2 tons (2 metric tons) of that weight made up of pre-packed solid propellants. The SS-520-5’s first stage, fitted with spin-stabilizing fins, was loaded with nearly 3,500 pounds (1,587 kilograms) of HTPB solid fuel.
https://gizmodo.com/watch-the-japanese-space-agency-set-a-record-for-smalle-1822700556
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