An overseas satellite equipped with a liquid apogee engine (LAE) exported by IHI Aerospace (IA) for commercial application was launched for the first time and successfully placed in geostationary orbit on November 22, 2005 (Japan time).
The IA LAE delivered for this satellite has the world's highest specific impulse, resulting in excellent satellite systems that are lighter in weight and have longer operational lives. The development of this LAE was started in 2000, and the first flight unit was delivered to an overseas satellite manufacturer in 2001.
This LAE demonstrated its high-performance capabilities during the orbital raising maneuvers of the 2005 launch. Based on the success of this mission, sales of IA LAE and attitude control thrusters to domestic and overseas customers will be increased.

The new GEnx jet engine, on which IHI is working as a joint development program partner with General Electric Company of U.S., surpassed its target output by producing 80,500 pounds of thrust at a ground-running test facility in March 2005.
IHI has an approximate 15% share in the design, development and manufacture of the GEnx engine. With development proceeding smoothly, the plan is to gain engine type approval in 2007 and commence commercial aircraft operations on Boeing's next-generation 787 passenger aircraft in 2008.
The GEnx engine, which incorporates cutting-edge technologies, will be installed on the B787 and A350 that are currently under development. As the order books for these state-of-the-art, next-generation passenger aircraft are filling up, airlines from all over the world have placed orders for the GEnx engine, which stood at a healthy 575 units as of April 1, 2006.