On December 12, the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (JAXA) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology conducted the third M-14 motor static firing test (M-14-3 TVC) at the JAXA’s Noshiro Testing Center in Akita. This motor is an improved version of the first stage motor of the Ｍ-Ⅴrocket. The aims of the firing test this time is to confirm and verify influence on the characteristics of the combustion-resistance and propulsion performance, etc. due to the changes in its nozzle throat material from conventional graphite to 3D-C/C (*) with the flight model specifications. The test data and information obtained by the test will feedback to the design of the 5th Ｍ-Ⅴrocket, which is scheduled to launch in 2002 (Japan fiscal year).
The M-14 motor is the largest solid-propellant motor in Japan, with an overall length approx. 13.7m, max diameter: 2.61m, total weight: approx. 83ton, max thrust in vacuum: approx. 3910kN, total combustion time: approx. 96sec.
IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. is responsible for developing and manufacturing the M-14 motor, attitude control system, and 3D-C/C-nozzle throat. (*): The three-dimensionally woven carbon-carbon material

On November 4, IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. conducted an unveiling ceremony of a monument for the birthplace of the rocket in Japan at the corner site of the former Ogikubo Plant of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. at Momoi, Suginami-ku, Tokyo.
In September 1953, research and development of the rocket projectiles after World War Ⅱ was initiated in Japan. At the request of the Production Technology Research Institute of University of Tokyo, a ground firing test of the rocket motor using a small amount of the double base propellant was conducted at the Ogikubo Plant, which was owned by Fujiseimitsu Kogyo Co., Ltd. at that time.
In 1955, the Pencil Rocket (diameter: 1.8cm, total length: 23cm, total weight: 200g) was completed, and in April 1955, its first horizontal firing test was conducted. After that, the Pencil Rocket was developed to the Kappa, the Lambda and the Mu series rockets. Those technologies have been succeeded to the present large rockets represented by the H-ⅡA Rocket.
Afterwards, the Ogikubo Plant was taken over by Prince Motor Co., Ltd., then, the Aerospace Division of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. In May 1998, the Ogikubo Plant was closed with its more than a half century of the history, and was transferred to Tomioka-shi, Gunma-ken (the Tomioka Plant). The monument erected this time commemorates a footprint of the rocket birthplace in Japan. In addition, in July 2000, IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. took over the aerospace operation from Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and is carrying out the development and manufacture of rocket projectiles.

The R&D Center Festival of IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. was held at the R&D Center on Oct 13th. In addition, the Tomioka Rocket Festival was held at the Tomioka Plant on Oct 27th. Both of the days, the weather was fine, and the festivals were crowded with people coming from the surrounding communities.

On 29th August at 16:00 pm（ JST ）, National Space Development Agency of Japan （ JAXA ） successfully launched the H-ⅡA Launch Vehicle No.1 for demonstration test flight from Tanegashima Space Center, Kagoshima-ken, Japan. IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. is responsible for developing and manufacturing the newly developed solid rocket booster （ SRB-A ） of the H-ⅡA which features monolithic CFRP （ carbon fiber reinforced plastic ） motor case and the electric actuator for the thrust vector control system, etc. The two SRB-As strapped to the right and left of the first stage liquid rocket booster （ LRB ） were separated at the altitude of approx.50km at 110 seconds after the SRB-As ignition. The SRB-A burdens about 90% （ 4500kN ） of the total required thrust when the H-ⅡA is launched. The H-ⅡA which aims to participate in the international large rocket lunch market requires a well-balanced performance on capability, quality and cost. In the development of the SRB-A, IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd., under the contract with JAXA, has accomplished the original target of reliability improvement, cost reduction, etc., as a result of thorough reviews and studies form various aspects devoting the entire efforts and resources of the company.

On August 20, Institute for Unmanned Space Experiment Free Flyer （ USEF ） conducted a high flying fall experiment of the next generation Unmanned Space Experiment Recovery System ( USERS ) in Taiki-cho, Hokkaido, Japan. Objective of the experiment is to ensure that the Re-entry Module ( REM ) of the USERS be safely returned from space to the earth. In the experiment, the REM was dropped from a 5 km sky-high by a helicopter to verify opening the parachute, landing on the targeted water area on the sea, floating the floater, etc. IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. is responsible for developing and manufacturing the REM and cooperated to conduct the experiment successfully.

IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. provides the Lunar Penetrator Module (LPM) as one of the exhibits to "IHI Sora No Miraikan" (IHI Future Pavilion of the Sky) in Japan Expo in Fukusima 2001, which is being held from July 7 through September 30 in Sukagawa-shi, Fukushima-ken.

IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. is participating as an exhibitor the in 44th Paris Air Show in Le Bourget,France, which is being held from June 16 through 24,2001.

On May 21, JAXA （ The Institute of Space and Astronautical Science ) conducted a static firing test of the first experimental model of the kick motor ( KＭ-Ⅴ2-1 ) for MUSES-C ( Mu Space Engineering Spacecraft ) in the vacuum chamber at the JAXA's Noshiro Testing Center, Noshiro-shi, Akita Prefecture. MUSES-C is an JAXA's sample return mission to an asteroid. IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. is responsible for development and manufacturing of the KＭ-Ⅴ2-1. The launch of the MUSES-C spacecraft is scheduled in November 2002 by the 5th Ｍ-Ⅴ launch vehicle from the Kagoshima Space Center ( KSC ) of JAXA.

On 11th May, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) made a press release on the observation equipment of volcanic activities at the Meteorological Research Institute of JMA in Tsukuba-shi, Ibaragi-ken.
The equipment includes the drop observation equipment on volcanoes (" Penetrator ") to conduct observation on the areas where are difficult to install the conventional observation equipment by dropping the Penetrator from an unmanned helicopter. IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. is responsible for design, development and manufacture of the Penetrator.

On 21st March, the Japan Meteorological Agency launched the MT-135P meteorological sounding rocket (the R 1119th) at the meteorological observation station in Sanriku-cho, Iwate-ken. The launch of the MT-135P (the R 1119th) this time marked its final launch. The MT-135P meteorological sounding rocket has served for more than thirty years gathering meteorological data in the upper atmosphere since the first launching (the R 1st) on July 15, 1970. IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. has been responsible for design, development and manufacture of the MT-135P.

On March 7, the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (JAXA) and the National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) conducted a static firing test of the NAL-735 Rocket at the Noshiro rocket test facility.
The NAL-735 Rocket has been developed for the propulsion system of the Scaled Supersonic Experimental Airplane (Non-powered Experimental Airplane) , which is applied to practical development for the new generation Supersonic Transport (SST) aircraft. IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. is responsible for development, manufacture, and the firing test of the NAL-735 Rocket.

National Space Development Agency of Japan (JAXA) released the Experiment Logistics Module - Exposed Section (ELM-ES) of the Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo" of the International Space Station (ISS) to the massmedia.
The ELM-ES is scheduled to be launched in January 2005, and be assembled in orbit to the ISS.
IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. is responsible for the development and manufacture of the ELM-ES.