View source for Astronomy:Winged Reusable Sounding rocket

{{Short description|Japanese winged single-stage reusable suborbital rocket}}
'''WIRES''' ('''WInged REusable Sounding rocket''') is a Japanese project developing a winged single-stage reusable [[Engineering:Sub-orbital spaceflight|suborbital rocket]] as a test bed for a reusable orbital launch system or a crewed suborbital [[Astronomy:Spaceplane|spaceplane]]. The full-size prototype, called WIRES-X, is expected to be launched in 2020.{{needs update|date=February 2021}}

==Overview==

Since 2005, the Space Systems Laboratory at Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan has been developing a reusable winged robotic suborbital test bed rocket called WIRES (WInged REusable Sounding rocket) meant as a research project towards a future fully reusable space launch system,<ref name='Shirakata K 2015'>[https://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=261456296920659;res=IELENG Development of hardware-in-the-loop simulator for experimental Winged Rocket]. Shirakata K., Yonemoto K., Yamasaki H., Ura Y., Minote H., Shiihara A., Ohmori S., Ishimoto S., Mugitani T. Asia-Pacific International Symposium on Aerospace Technology (APISAT 2015). ''Engineers Australia'', 2015: 114-120. {{ISBN|9781922107480}}.</ref> or even a suborbital [[Astronomy:Spaceplane|spaceplane]].<ref name='WIRES March 2018'/> The project is a collaborative effort that includes [[Organization:JAXA|JAXA]], [[Company:IHI Corporation|IHI Corporation]], Japanese industry and universities, as well as the [[Organization:University of Texas at El Paso|University of Texas at El Paso]] (UTEP), the [[Organization:University of Southern California|University of Southern California]] (USC).<ref name='WIRES March 2018'/>

The series of suborbital rockets being developed are called WIRES 13, WIRES 15 and WIRES-X, and all of them use an engine burning alcohol and liquid oxygen fuel. The full sized WIRES-X variant is expected to be launched in 2020 to be evaluated for its possible use as a "recoverable first stage" of an orbital launch system, and in the long term, as a crewed suborbital spaceplane for commercial tours.<ref name='WIRES March 2018'/>

==Development==

The concept builds on the original aerodynamic shape of HIMES (HIghly Maneuverable Experimental Sounding rocket) studied by the [[Organization:Institute of Space and Astronautical Science|Institute of Space and Astronautical Science]] (ISAS, now part of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) in the 1980s.<ref name='WIRES March 2018'>{{cite journal |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323693460 |doi=10.13111/2066-8201.2018.10.1.15|title=Subscale Winged Rocket Development and Application to Future Reusable Space Transportation|journal=INCAS Bulletin|volume=10|pages=161–172|year=2018|last1=Koichi|first1=Yonemoto|last2=Takahiro|first2=Fujikawa|last3=Toshiki|first3=Morito|last4=Joseph|first4=Wang|last5=Ahsan r|first5=Choudhuri|doi-access=free}}</ref> The project is implementing a step-wise incremental size and complexity to its designs.

In late 2009, the Kyutech team completed the flight experiments of a small-scale (7.1&nbsp;kg) experimental winged rocket called '''WIRES 11''' that used solid rocket motors; it was launched five times to an altitude of 500 m.<ref name='UNISEC 2011'>[http://www.unisec.jp/member/files/jurocket_ver1.0.pdf Report on Report on Report on the current state of "Japanese University Rocket Projects".]  University Space Engineering Consortium (UNISEC), Japan. October 2011.</ref> Then in 2010 they proceeded with the testing of slightly larger variants designated '''WIRES 12''' (34.5&nbsp;kg and 1.5 m long) to fly up to 1.1&nbsp;km using a commercial hybrid rocket called HyperTEK M1000. The recovery system included a controllable [[Engineering:Parafoil|parafoil]] and airbags.<ref name='UNISEC 2011'/><ref>{{Cite journal |doi = 10.1016/j.proeng.2014.12.520|title = Recent Developments of Experimental Winged Rocket: Autonomous Guidance and Control Demonstration Using Parafoil|journal = Procedia Engineering|volume = 99|pages = 156–162|year = 2015|last1 = Surendra|first1 = G. Guna|last2 = Yonemoto|first2 = K.|last3 = Matsumoto|first3 = T.|last4 = Kutsuna|first4 = Y.|last5 = Itakura|first5 = K.|last6 = Yamasaki|first6 = H.|last7 = Ura|first7 = Y.|last8 = Ichigie|first8 = M.|last9 = Tanaka|first9 = H.|last10 = Ueno|first10 = S.|last11 = Someya|first11 = T.|doi-access = free}}</ref>

The team then launched '''WIRES 14''' (50&nbsp;kg and 1.5 m length) in order to establish the efficacy of the body structure and new recovery system. WIRES 14 is a winged rocket propelled by a novel hybrid rocket engine called CAMUI (CAscaded MUltistage Impinging-jet) being developed by Hokkaido University.<ref name='UNISEC 2011'/><ref>[http://www.hayabusa.isas.jaxa.jp/kawalab/astro/pdf/2013A_7.pdf RocketFirst Flight Test Results of Subscale Winged Rocket]. ITAKURAK Yoshiro, Hiroshi YAMASAKI, Shintaro MIYAMOTO, Takaaki MATSUMOTO, and Koichi YONEMOTO. JAXA. 2013.</ref>

As of late 2018, the WIRES project is studying and developing the aerodynamics, navigation, guidance control, composite structure, propulsion system, and cryogenic tanks for test models.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} The architecture timeline includes at least three more preliminary variants: a non-winged rocket called WIRES 13, and two winged rockets called WIRES 15 and Wires-X; the variant WIRES-X will be full-scale.<ref name='WIRES March 2018'/>

===WIRES 13 ===

WIRES 13 is a sub-scale test rocket propelled by two IPA-LOX (isopropyl alcohol and liquid oxygen) engines generating a total combined thrust of 20&nbsp;kN, that are under development by the University of Southern California (USC) to reach a target altitude of about {{cvt|6|km|abbr=on}}. The rocket has a length of {{cvt|4.6|m|abbr=on}}, and a mass of {{cvt|1000|kg|abbr=on}}.<ref name='WIRES March 2018'/> WIRES 13 aims to touch down the ground without damage using two stage parachutes and three airbags. The flight objective is validation of the telemetry and ground communication system, recovery parachute system, and launch and operation of a liquid engine.<ref name='WIRES March 2018'/>

===WIRES 15===

WIRES 15 has the same length and mass of WIRES 13; it is a sub-scale technology demonstrator propelled by a fully expander-cycle [[Physics:Liquid oxygen|LOX]]-methane engine developed in collaboration with JAXA and [[Company:IHI Corporation|IHI Corporation]]. It generates a thrust of 20&nbsp;kN, and is targeted to reach an altitude of approximately 6&nbsp;km.<ref name='WIRES March 2018'/> For this variant, Kyutech is collaborating with the [[Organization:University of Texas at El Paso|University of Texas at El Paso]] (UTEP), JAXA and other institutions.{{Citation needed|date=November 2019}} WIRES 15 aims to touch down the ground without damage using two stage parachutes and three airbags.<ref name='WIRES March 2018'/>

The flight tests of both WIRES 13 and WIRES 15 will be conducted at the launch facility of FAR ([[Engineering:Friends of Amateur Rocketry|Friends of Amateur Rocketry]], Inc.) at the Mojave Desert in California, US, in May 2018 and March 2019 respectively.<ref name='WIRES March 2018'/>

===WIRES-X===

After completion of WIRES 13 and 15 flight tests, the suborbital full-size winged demonstrator called WIRES-X will be developed, and its first test flight is expected in 2020 to evaluate its resulting control and performance, expected to reach beyond {{cvt|100|km}} altitude. It will also be evaluated for its potential to be used as the first stage of a two-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle.<ref name='WIRES March 2018'/>

WIRES-X has a total length of {{cvt|8.2|m|abbr=on}}, a launch mass of 4.6 tons, and a payload capability of {{cvt|100|kg|abbr=on}}.<ref name='WIRES March 2018'/> It will be propelled by three LOX-methane engines, each developing 20&nbsp;kN-thrust.<ref name='WIRES March 2018'/><ref name='SAKAGUCHI IHI 2018'>{{cite journal |url=https://www.ihi.co.jp/var/ezwebin_site/storage/original/application/c947f865f960ed20f82895dcaa4bbbb1.pdf |title=Methane Engine Just for Future Space Transportation |last=Sakaguchi |first=Hiroyuki |publisher=[[Company:IHI Corporation|IHI Corporation]]|location=Japan |journal=IHI Engineering Review |volume=51 |issue=2 |pages=16–19 |year=2018}}</ref>

===Spaceplane===
{| class="wikitable floatright"
|-
! Spaceplane !! Parameter/units<ref name='WIRES March 2018'/>
|-
| Wet mass || 23.6 tons
|-
| Dry mass || 7.9 tons
|-
| Propellant mass || 15.7 tons<br/>([[Astronomy:LOX|LOX]]-methane)
|-
| Capacity || 6 (1 pilot + 5 passengers)
|-
| Length || {{cvt|13.4|m|abbr=on}}
|-
| No. of engines || 9
|-
| Max. altitude || {{cvt|120|km|abbr=on}}
|}
If WIRES development is successful, the project engineers envision an additional application of the system as a suborbital crewed spaceplane for [[Astronomy:Space tourism|space tourism]]. The notional specifications of the vehicle are shown in the table. 
{{clear}}

===Space Walker===
Koichi Yonemoto, who was responsible of the development at Kyushu Institute of Technology, co-founded a company {{ill|Space Walker|ja|SPACE WALKER}} in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.space-walker.co.jp/en/team |title=Team |publisher=Space Walker |access-date=27 April 2021}}</ref>  Since Yonemoto transferred from Kyutech to Tokyo University of Science (TUS) in 2019, WIRES is being developed by Space Walker and TUS.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.space-walker.co.jp/news/press-release/20190417.html |language=Japanese |script-title=ja:東京理科大学との共同研究契約締結のお知らせ |publisher=Space Walker Inc. |date=17 April 2019 |access-date=27 April 2021}}</ref>  {{As of|2020}}, Space Walker aims to launch suborbital uncrewed spaceplane in 2024, orbital launch of small satellites in 2026, and suborbital crewed spaceplane in 2029.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.space-walker.co.jp/news/press-release/20201002.html |language=Japanese |script-title=ja:サブオービタルスペースプレーンの打ち上げスケジュールの変更及びコンポーネント販売について |date=2 October 2020 |publisher=Space Walker Inc. |access-date=27 April 2021}}</ref>

A sub-scale model WIRES#014-3A was launched on 17 March 2020.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.space-walker.co.jp/news/news/2020031702.html |language=Japanese |script-title=ja:【3/17正式版】有翼ロケット実験機「gaaboo（ガーブー）号」（WIRES#014-3A） 打ち上げ結果について |publisher=Space Walker Inc. |date=17 March 2020 |access-date=27 April 2021}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Engineering:Adeline (rocket stage)|Adeline (rocket stage)]], reusable winged first stage
* [[Astronomy:Reusable launch system|Reusable launch system]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Japanese launch systems}}
{{Reusable launch systems}}
{{Spaceflight}}
{{emerging technologies|topics=yes|space=yes}}

[[Category:Reusable launch systems]]
[[Category:Space access]]
[[Category:Spaceplanes]]

{{Sourceattribution|Winged Reusable Sounding rocket}}