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Project etc. Kakuda Public and Private Co-creation Propulsion System Development Center(K-CROP)

We are promoting Innovative Space Transportation Program aiming to promote and develop space transportation business led by Japanese private sectors, based on the “Innovative Space Transportation Roadmap” established by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

In this program, “Kakuda Public and Private Co-creation Propulsion System Development Center(K-CROP)” will be newly established to support the development and testing of liquid rocket engines by the private sectors in terms of both hardware and software.

Outline

“Kakuda Public and Private Co-creation Propulsion System Development Center(K-CROP)” supports the private sectors so that they can carry out research and development efficiently, with reducing risks they would face in the early stage of entry or in that of R&D of mainly liquid rocket engine.

It consists of test facilities (hardware), functions (software) such as “co-creation information hub” and “co-creation coordination.” The test facilities are for both technology development and evaluation testing of liquid rocket engine systems and major components. The co-creation information hub is to accumulate information useful for development studies. The co-creation coordination provides support to new private sectors to conduct tests on liquid rocket engines. We aim to be a one-stop center of liquid rocket engine research and development for private companies, universities, and research institutes, etc.

Image of new rocket engine test facilities
Image of new rocket engine test facilities

Functions of “Kakuda Public and Private Co-creation Propulsion System Development Center(K-CROP)”

This center provides coordination and information, test facilities and testing techniques to support development of engines. The location of the facilities and some examples of tests are as follows.

Location

Example of tests

  • Engine system test
  • Combustor test
  • Turbopump test
  • Components test used in engines
  • Component element test in cryogenic or high-pressure conditions

Time of service starting

The test facilities will be built until the end of the first half of FY2025. The service will be started during the second half of FY2025.

Goal

We will enable private sectors and JAXA to conduct propulsion system development test, that is necessary for the development of future transportation systems, at the right time. We aim to utilize the acquired technologies and intellectual property to the social implementation as follows; supporting commercialization of future space transportation system, to become new propulsion system equipment as commercial products, and to spread technologies to consumer equipment by spin-off effect.

We are developing new test facilities with new concept reflecting lessons learned at existing facilities in JAXA. Our goal is to provide a testing environment that enables users to conduct the tests they need at the right time, by multiple test rooms with the same spec and with same interface, and by mobile-test-stand set up at assembly rooms which could adopt variety kinds of tests efficiently.