The LE-9 is a
liquid
A liquid is a nearly incompressible fluid that conforms to the shape of its container but retains a (nearly) constant volume independent of pressure. As such, it is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being solid, gas, a ...
cryogenic
In physics, cryogenics is the production and behaviour of materials at very low temperatures.
The 13th IIR International Congress of Refrigeration (held in Washington DC in 1971) endorsed a universal definition of “cryogenics” and “cr ...
rocket engine
A rocket engine uses stored rocket propellants as the reaction mass for forming a high-speed propulsive jet of fluid, usually high-temperature gas. Rocket engines are reaction engines, producing thrust by ejecting mass rearward, in accordanc ...
burning
liquid hydrogen
Liquid hydrogen (LH2 or LH2) is the liquid state of the element hydrogen. Hydrogen is found naturally in the molecular H2 form.
To exist as a liquid, H2 must be cooled below its critical point of 33 K. However, for it to be in a fully li ...
and
liquid oxygen
Liquid oxygen—abbreviated LOx, LOX or Lox in the aerospace, submarine and gas industries—is the liquid form of molecular oxygen. It was used as the oxidizer in the first liquid-fueled rocket invented in 1926 by Robert H. Goddard, an applica ...
in an
expander bleed cycle. Two or three will be used to power the core stage of the
H3 launch vehicle.
The newly developed LE-9 engine is the most important factor in achieving cost reduction, improved safety and increased thrust. The
expander bleed cycle used in the LE-9 engine is a highly reliable combustion method that Japan has put into practical use for the
LE-5A/
B engine. However, it is physically difficult for an expander bleed cycle engine to generate large thrust, so the development of the LE-9 engine with a thrust of is the most challenging and important development element.
Firing tests of the LE-9 first-stage engine began in April 2017.
On 21 January 2022, the launch of the first H3 was rescheduled to
FY 2022 or later, citing technical problems regarding the first stage LE-9 engine.
See also
*
H3 Launch Vehicle
The H3 Launch Vehicle is an expendable launch system in development in Japan. H3 launch vehicles are liquid-propellant rockets with strap-on solid rocket boosters and are planned to be launched from Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. Mitsub ...
*
LE-7
The LE-7 and its succeeding upgrade model the LE-7A are staged combustion cycle LH/LOX liquid rocket engines produced in Japan for the H-II series of launch vehicles. Design and production work was all done domestically in Japan, the first m ...
*
LE-5
The LE-5 liquid rocket engine and its derivative models were developed in Japan to meet the need for an upper stage propulsion system for the H-I and H-II series of launch vehicles. It is a bipropellant design, using LH and LOX. Primary design ...
References
*
Japanese Wikipedia LE-X (in Japanese)
External links
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. Rocket Engines
Rocket engines of Japan
Rocket engines using hydrogen propellant
Rocket engines using the expander cycle
{{rocket-stub