Launch Photos: Japan's Epsilon Rocket, a Smart Booster for Space Flights

Liftoff! Japan's Epsilon Rocket Launches 1st Flight

JAXA

Japan's brand-new Epsilon rocket launches on its debut mission from Uchinoura Space Center on Sept. 14, 2013 carrying the SPRINT-A (Hisaki) space telescope, a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency satellite designed to study the planets of the solar system from Earth orbit. [Read the Full Story Here]

Japan's Epsilon Rocket Launches 1st Flight

JAXA

Japan's new Epsilon rocket launches on its debut mission from Uchinoura Space Center on Sept. 14, 2013 carrying the SPRINT-A (Hisaki) space telescope, a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency satellite designed to study the planets of the solar system from Earth orbit. [Read the Full Story Here]

Japan's Epsilon Rocket Launches 1st Flight

JAXA

Japan's brand-new Epsilon rocket launches on its debut mission from Uchinoura Space Center on Sept. 14, 2013 carrying the SPRINT-A (Hisaki) space telescope, a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency satellite designed to study the planets of the solar system from Earth orbit. [Read the Full Story Here]

Japan's Epsilon Rocket Launches 1st Flight

JAXA

Japan's brand-new Epsilon rocket launches on its debut mission from Uchinoura Space Center on Sept. 14, 2013 carrying the SPRINT-A (Hisaki) space telescope, a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency satellite designed to study the planets of the solar system from Earth orbit. [Read the Full Story Here]

Japan's Epsilon Rocket Launches 1st Flight

JAXA

Japan's brand-new Epsilon rocket launches on its debut mission from Uchinoura Space Center on Sept. 14, 2013 carrying the SPRINT-A (Hisaki) space telescope, a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency satellite designed to study the planets of the solar system from Earth orbit. [Read the Full Story Here]

Japan's Epsilon Rocket Launches 1st Flight

JAXA

Japan's brand-new Epsilon rocket launches on its debut mission from Uchinoura Space Center on Sept. 14, 2013 carrying the SPRINT-A (Hisaki) space telescope, a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency satellite designed to study the planets of the solar system from Earth orbit. [Read the Full Story Here]

Japan's Epsilon Rocket Launches 1st Flight

JAXA

Japan's brand-new Epsilon rocket launches on its debut mission from Uchinoura Space Center on Sept. 14, 2013 carrying the SPRINT-A (Hisaki) space telescope, a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency satellite designed to study the planets of the solar system from Earth orbit. [Read the Full Story Here]

Japan's New Epsilon Rocket

JAXA

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will launch the first Epsilon Launch Vehicle (Epsilon-1) with the Spectroscopic Planet Observatory for Recognition of Interaction of Atmosphere (SPRINT-A) on August 27, 2013, from Uchinoura Space Center.

Epsilon Launch Vehicle Fairing Separation Examination

JAXA/Joe Nishizawa

Japan's new Epsilon Launch Vehicle Fairing undergoes separation examination in preparation for planned launch in August 2013. Photo taken April 8, 2013.

Liftoff! Japan's Epsilon Rocket Launches 1st Flight

JAXA

Japan's brand-new Epsilon rocket launches on its debut mission from Uchinoura Space Center on Sept. 14, 2013 carrying the SPRINT-A (Hisaki) space telescope, a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency satellite designed to study the planets of the solar system from Earth orbit.

Small Space Science Platform for Rapid INvestigation and Test (SPRINT-A)

JAXA

Japan's Small Space Science Platform for Rapid INvestigation and Test (SPRINT-A) satellite is pictured with Jupiter and Mars, above the limb of the Earth. Image released July 22, 2010.

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Tom Chao
Tom Chao has contributed to SPACE.com as a producer and writer since 2000. As a writer and editor, he has worked for the Voyager Company, Time Inc. New Media, HarperCollins and Worth Publishers. He has a bachelor’s degree in Cinema Production from the University of Southern California, and a master’s degree from NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Tom on Google+.