Everybody ready for today's record-setting orbital launch?

>>8592450
and here is the livestream

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55ouemR6bbk

and launch article

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/01/jaxa-ss-520-rocket-tricom-1-launch/

>>8592450
How is this even remotely cost effective?

>>8592488
Sometimes, you just need to put something in orbit, and it can be very small. You're not interested in price per kilogram, you're interested in price per launch, hitting the desired orbit, and when you can get it launched.

Piggybacking on a large rocket launch means no control over schedule or orbit. An affordable small rocket is highly desirable.

There's also the potential for low costs through economy of scale. Big, expensive rockets launch a few times per year, so their production isn't highly automated and involves a huge amount of costly touch labor and individual inspections. Small, affordable rockets might launch a few times per day and come off an assembly line, with quality control done through sampling.

>>8592450
no

>>8592465
livestream started. Amateur feed, so probably boring until the countdown starts.

fug

>>8592450
I did not know. Very cool - thanks!

>>8593064
yeah, delayed to the 14th due to excessive high level winds.