GX

The GX expendable launch vehicle is a rocket currently under development by the Galaxy Express Corporation, a joint venture between IHI Corporation (IHI), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), United Launch Alliance (ULA), Lockheed Martin Corporation (LM) and several other Japanese companies. The GX is a two stage rocket. The first stage will be the Atlas Common Core Booster, currently used as the first stage of the Atlas V rocket, which... more

The GX expendable launch vehicle is a rocket currently under development by the Galaxy Express Corporation, a joint venture between IHI Corporation (IHI), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), United Launch Alliance (ULA), Lockheed Martin Corporation (LM) and several other Japanese companies. The GX is a two stage rocket. The first stage will be the Atlas Common Core Booster, currently used as the first stage of the Atlas V rocket, which will be provided by United Launch Alliance. The second stage will be a newly-designed stage produced by IHI, using liquefied natural gas as fuel and liquid oxygen as an oxidizer. The GX will be the only space vehicle to use that combination of fuel and oxidizer. The GX is intended to compete in the commercial satellite-launch sector. The program began as an effort to upgrade Japan's J-I rocket, which launched only once. Thus, GX was originally known as J-II, albeit briefly. For a time, the program was termed J1-Upgrade, before finally... less