イプシロン打ち上げ成功　小型衛星９基搭載、３度延期―ＪＡＸＡ

　宇宙航空研究開発機構（ＪＡＸＡ）は９日午前９時５５分、小型衛星９基を搭載した固体燃料ロケット「イプシロン」５号機を、鹿児島県肝付町の内之浦宇宙空間観測所から打ち上げた。
　ＪＡＸＡは当初、１０月１日に打ち上げる予定だったが、地上レーダー設備の不具合で直前に中止。その後も気象条件が整わず、計３度延期されていた。
　５号機は全長２６メートル、重さ９６トン。打ち上げの約５０分後に小型実証衛星２号機（ＲＡＩＳＥ―２）を高度５７０キロの軌道に投入した後、約２０分かけ残り８基を順次投入、打ち上げは成功した。イプシロンの打ち上げ成功は５機連続。（2021/11/09-12:27）

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, on Tuesday successfully launched its fifth Epsilon solid-fuel rocket carrying nine small satellites.
   The rocket was launched at 9:55 a.m. (12:55 a.m. GMT) from JAXA's Uchinoura Space Center in the town of Kimotsuki in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan.
   JAXA initially planned to launch the Epsilon-5 rocket Oct. 1, but this was canceled just before the scheduled liftoff time due to a glitch in ground radar equipment. The launch was then postponed twice because of unfavorable weather conditions.
   The rocket, which is 26 meters long and weighs 96 tons, injected the rapid innovative payload demonstration satellite-2, or RAISE-2, into orbit about 570 kilometers above Earth around 50 minutes after the liftoff. The other eight satellites were released later. The feat came after all four previous Epsilon rockets were launched successfully.
   RAISE-2 carries parts and equipment developed by entities including Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and Tohoku University to test whether they can operate in space.