Facilities

The M rocket launch site sits on a 25,000 m² terrace at an altitude of 210m. It comprises a launching pad, rocket assembly building, satellite integration center and launch control center.

The KS Center is the launch site for sounding rockets SS-520, S-520 and S-310. The L-4S-5 rocket launched Japan's first artificial satellite OHSUMI here in 1970.

Mounted on a launcher, the sounding rocket is transported into the launcher dome, where its attitude is set to the launch direction. The dome protects the rocket from inclement weather until the last minute. At the time of launch, the dome's roof is opened, along with doors on all sides for smoke dispersion.

The control center's launch control/command and ignition control desks manage the firing sequence of sounding rockets launched from KS Center. It is also equipped with centrally controlled, radar computation systems to control the flight path and flight safety of rockets. It also has a balloon-data acquisition system for launch-angle correction, a marine-monitoring radar system, a meteorological data receiver for weather forecasting, a thunder detecting/forecasting system, etc.

The telemeter center comprises two buildings: a rocket telemeter center to receive radio signals from sounding rockets; and a satellite telemeter center to receive radio signals from satellites.

Satellite signals are received and demodulated at the satellite telemeter center and are then sent via ground network to the large computer memory in Sagamihara Campus. The center can also transmit commands to satellites. The satellite telemeter center is equipped with 34m, 20m and 10m parabolic antennas capable of tracking both deep- space explorers and earth-orbiting satellites.

The rocket-tracking radar system consists of 4m and 3.6m L-band radar (Telemeter Center) and C-band precision radar systems. The precision radar's functions include attitude-reference axis correction, radio guidance and emergency-destruct command for tracked rockets.

On the highest terrace of Uchinoura Space Center, a 20m diameter antenna tracks scientific satellites orbiting the earth to receive signals. Received radio signals are transmitted via optical communication network to the satellite telemeter center.

The 34m antenna is mounted on an antenna pedestal containing a control room and an equipment room for various devices such as transceivers. The antenna itself weighs a total of 820 tons to withstand the direct brunt of typhoons with winds gusting to a maximum of 90m/sec. Despite its weight, the 34m antenna enables quick operation and is one of the world's highest performance antennas.

General administration work and facility maintenance for Uchinoura Space Center are conducted by the staff in this center. In its large conference room, the whole staff meets during the early launch stages of sounding rockets or scientific satellites. The center also has a film theater for visitor groups.

The museum exhibits models of rockets and scientific satellites, scientific instruments, a model of M rocket assembly building, etc..
Opening hours: 8:30 - 16:30
Closed days: December 29 to 31 and two cleaning days a month

On February 11, 1970, Japan launched its first artificial satellite OHSUMI, becoming the fourth nation - following the U.S.A., USSR and France - to ever launch a satellite on its own efforts. The monument in praise of those who led the OHSUMI launch to success over many hardships is still an encouragement to us.