Recent Activity
Epsilon S first-stage ground test failure July 2024 delayed return-to-flight; sounding-rocket campaigns continue.
Investor Brief
Japan's science-mission specialty pad — small/medium solid launchers and sounding rockets. Hayabusa sample-return heritage; primary Epsilon S pad. Differentiates from Tanegashima by avoiding cryogenic infrastructure and ISS-cadence constraints.
Ownership
Parent Entity
Regulatory Regime
Anchor Tenants
Latitude Advantage
Launch Azimuth Range
Country
🇯🇵Japan
Region
Asia
Established
1,962
Launches / Year
24
Years Active
64
Strategic Position
31.2513° N, 131.0769° E
Azimuth: 60°–120° (LEO, SSO, interplanetary windows)
31.25°N — similar to Tanegashima; chosen for scientific-mission flexibility and proximity to ISAS rather than payload-to-orbit performance
Future Milestones
- 2027
Epsilon S return-to-flight after combustion-anomaly investigation
- 2028
Continued small-science-satellite cadence for JAXA/ISAS missions
About
Uchinoura Space Center, formerly known as Kagoshima Space Center, is Japan's oldest launch facility specializing in solid-fuel rockets and scientific missions. Operated by JAXA's Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), it launched Japan's first satellite and continues to serve as the site for Epsilon rocket missions and sounding rockets.
Key Features
Japan's oldest space launch facility — launched Japan's first satellite in 1970
Specializes in solid-fuel rockets and scientific missions
Operated by JAXA/ISAS for space science programs
Launch site for Epsilon solid-fuel rocket series
Extensive sounding rocket operations for atmospheric research
Rockets That Launch Here
Companies Operating Here
Orbit Types
Notable Launches
Ohsumi (1970) — Japan's first satellite, launched on Lambda-4S
Hayabusa (2003) — First asteroid sample return mission
Akatsuki (2010) — Venus climate orbiter
Epsilon rocket missions for scientific satellite deployment
SS-520-5 (2018) — World's smallest orbital rocket
Upcoming Launches From This Site
Next missions scheduled to fly from Uchinoura Space Center
- Provider
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
- Rocket
- Epsilon S
- NET
- Pad
- Mu Center
Recent Launches From This Site
Most recent missions flown from Uchinoura Space Center
- Epsilon | RAISE-3 & othersJapan Aerospace Exploration AgencyFailure