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Launch Vehicles
Vehicle family profile

Epsilon

Family-level launch record combining canonical variants, historical missions, public cadence forecasts, and available payload performance specs.

IHI AerospaceDevelopment
Admin
Variants
4
Canonical variants linked to this family.
Historical missions
6
Missions in the public mission table with actual launch dates.
Peak listed capacity
590 kg
Maximum payload capacity across listed variants and orbits.

Launch Cadence

Historical missions are grouped by actual launch year. Forecast cadence uses family-level launch-rate rows.

YearHistorical missionsForecast launches
201310
201610
201810
201910
202110
202210
202602
202702
202802
202902
203002
203102
203202
203302
203402
203502
203602

Performance Specs

Payload capacity by variant and target orbit when structured capacity rows are available.

VariantOrbitCapacityAltitudeInclinationSource
Epsilon S
LEO590 kgUnknownUnknownManual Epsilon S low-confidence small-launcher fallback.

Recent Missions

Latest launched missions using variants in this family.

MissionVariantLaunch
Launch 2022-F04
Epsilon
Oct 12, 2022
RAISE-2
Epsilon 2PBS
Nov 9, 2021
RAPIS
Epsilon 2PBS
Jan 18, 2019
ASNARO 2

Variants

Canonical variants rolled up into this launch vehicle family.

VariantStagesMissionsStatus
Epsilon
Not stated2Retired
Epsilon 2
Not stated1Retired
Epsilon 2PBS
Not stated3Retired
Epsilon S
Not stated0Development
203702
203802
203902
204002
204102

Forecast Location Split

1 launch location represented.

YearLocationLaunchesConfidenceBasis
2026Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex220%Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.
2027Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex220%Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.
2028Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex220%Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.
2029Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex220%Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.
2030Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex220%Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.
2031Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex220%Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.
2032Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex220%Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.
2033Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex220%Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.
2034Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex220%Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.
2035Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex220%Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.
2036Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex220%Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.
2037Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex220%Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.
2038Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex220%Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.
2039Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex220%Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.
2040Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex220%Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.
2041Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex220%Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback. Site-year coverage backfill copied nearest prior site-rate row.
Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex
2026 · 20% confidence
2

Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.

Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex
2027 · 20% confidence
2

Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.

Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex
2028 · 20% confidence
2

Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.

Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex
2029 · 20% confidence
2

Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.

Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex
2030 · 20% confidence
2

Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.

Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex
2031 · 20% confidence
2

Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.

Epsilon 2PBS
Jan 17, 2018
ERG
Epsilon 2
Dec 20, 2016
SPRINT-A
Epsilon
Sep 14, 2013

Forecasted Missions

Upcoming mission rows with announced launch timing.

MissionVariantAnnounced

No forecasted missions

No upcoming announced mission rows are linked to this vehicle family.

Track
Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex
2032 · 20% confidence
2

Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.

Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex
2033 · 20% confidence
2

Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.

Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex
2034 · 20% confidence
2

Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.

Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex
2035 · 20% confidence
2

Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.

Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex
2036 · 20% confidence
2

Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.

Uchinoura Space Center | M-V Launch Complex
2037 · 20% confidence
2

Editable low-confidence Epsilon family annual throughput fallback.

Mentions
58
All verified mentions of this launch vehicle family in source documents.
0.0-5.0
Actions

An ESA astronaut is three months into the Epsilon mission aboard the International Space Station.

GeneralPlanValue 2.0May 20, 2026RT @esaspaceflight: Three months into her #εpsilon mission on board the International @Space_Station, ESA astronaut @Soph_astro will hold…
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Four of the eight cubesats flown on the mission were re-flights of cubesats lost in the previous Epsilon launch failure in October 2022.

GeneralValue 3.5Apr 23, 2026And well here it is. 4 of the 8 cubesats flown today are in fact re-flights of ones lost on the previous Epsilon launch failure in October 2022, 3 and a half years ago (a full undergraduate program's length!):

Significant delays in the Epsilon-S program following multiple test-firing failures led JAXA to reassign the Kakushin Rising mission to Rocket Lab’s Electron.

RelationshipsPlanCapabilityValue 4.2Apr 6, 2026Satellite Deployers to be Used on JAXA Small Satellite Mission by Exolaunch

JAXA moved RAISE-4 and its rideshares from the Epsilon-S rocket to Rocket Lab’s Electron after a series of failures during Epsilon-S development.

PlanRelationshipsValue 4.2Mar 18, 2026These cubesats were originally set to launch on an Epsilon-S rocket together with RAISE-4. However due to a series of failures during Epsilon-S' development they were moved to Electron. RAISE-4 was launched late last year on the "RAISE And Shine" mission.

Sophie Adenot will perform more than 200 experiments during her Epsilon mission on the International Space Station.

CapabilityGeneralValue 3.0Mar 6, 2026Crew-12 mission: relive Sophie Adenot’s departure and arrival on the ISS!

Sophie Adenot will perform more than 200 experiments during her Epsilon mission on the International Space Station.

CapabilityValue 4.0Mar 6, 2026Crew-12 mission: relive Sophie Adenot’s departure and arrival on the ISS!

Sophie Adenot’s mission on the International Space Station is named Epsilon and will last nine months.

PlanGeneralValue 4.0Mar 6, 2026Crew-12 mission: relive Sophie Adenot’s departure and arrival on the ISS!

Sophie Adenot’s mission on the International Space Station is named Epsilon and will last nine months.

PlanValue 4.0Mar 6, 2026Crew-12 mission: relive Sophie Adenot’s departure and arrival on the ISS!

Epsilon-S Block 1 can support external satellite A launches to SSO with a maximum mass of 200 kg per satellite for two satellites.

CapabilityValue 4.4Feb 5, 2026JAXA will test this re-adapted motor (slight changes still present due to e.g. obsolete components) ~mid-2026 for a 1st Epsilon-S Block 1 launch ~end of JFY 2026 (early 2027-ish). Unfortunately this will have less lift and some launches will be affected.

The demonstration Epsilon-S payload is being developed with expectations equivalent to a system refresh and is being concretized.

CapabilityPlanValue 2.0Feb 5, 2026JAXA will test this re-adapted motor (slight changes still present due to e.g. obsolete components) ~mid-2026 for a 1st Epsilon-S Block 1 launch ~end of JFY 2026 (early 2027-ish). Unfortunately this will have less lift and some launches will be affected.

Some Epsilon-S launches will be affected by the reduced lift of the re-adapted motor.

PlanCapabilityValue 2.6Feb 5, 2026JAXA will test this re-adapted motor (slight changes still present due to e.g. obsolete components) ~mid-2026 for a 1st Epsilon-S Block 1 launch ~end of JFY 2026 (early 2027-ish). Unfortunately this will have less lift and some launches will be affected.

Epsilon-S Block 1 can launch LOTUSat-1 to SSO with an approximate satellite mass of 590 kg.

PlanCapabilityValue 4.0Feb 5, 2026JAXA will test this re-adapted motor (slight changes still present due to e.g. obsolete components) ~mid-2026 for a 1st Epsilon-S Block 1 launch ~end of JFY 2026 (early 2027-ish). Unfortunately this will have less lift and some launches will be affected.

JAXA is conducting a cause investigation into second-stage motor combustion anomalies for the Epsilon E-21 motor.

CapabilityGeneralValue 3.0Feb 5, 2026As for reason behind the double motor test fire explosions, here's some results that I have trouble reading, but TL;DR: several planned sub-scale investigation motors firing are still yet to be done so the team isn't close to pinning down a cause yet.

Epsilon-S Block 1 can support JAXA’s space technology demonstration acceleration program (JAXA-STEPS) with a target payload mass of roughly 100 kg (TBD).

CapabilityPlanValue 4.0Feb 5, 2026JAXA will test this re-adapted motor (slight changes still present due to e.g. obsolete components) ~mid-2026 for a 1st Epsilon-S Block 1 launch ~end of JFY 2026 (early 2027-ish). Unfortunately this will have less lift and some launches will be affected.

There is a possibility that LOTUSat-1 will not be carried on the demonstration Epsilon-S mission.

PlanValue 2.0Feb 5, 2026JAXA will test this re-adapted motor (slight changes still present due to e.g. obsolete components) ~mid-2026 for a 1st Epsilon-S Block 1 launch ~end of JFY 2026 (early 2027-ish). Unfortunately this will have less lift and some launches will be affected.

Epsilon-S Block 1 can support a JAXA high-altitude glider mission to SSO with a maximum satellite mass of 400 kg.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.2Feb 5, 2026JAXA will test this re-adapted motor (slight changes still present due to e.g. obsolete components) ~mid-2026 for a 1st Epsilon-S Block 1 launch ~end of JFY 2026 (early 2027-ish). Unfortunately this will have less lift and some launches will be affected.

JAXA will adapt the existing Epsilon second-stage motor as the M-35a for an interim Epsilon-S Block 1 vehicle.

PlanCapabilityValue 4.0Feb 5, 2026Latest news from JAXA etc. yesterday: they have officially decided to defer the bigger update of the 2nd stage motor ("E-21") for Epsilon-S & re-adapt the existing Epsilon stage 2 motor as the "M-35a" for an interim Epsilon-S Block 1 version:

JAXA has deferred the larger update of the Epsilon second-stage motor designated E-21.

PlanCapabilityValue 4.0Feb 5, 2026Latest news from JAXA etc. yesterday: they have officially decided to defer the bigger update of the 2nd stage motor ("E-21") for Epsilon-S & re-adapt the existing Epsilon stage 2 motor as the "M-35a" for an interim Epsilon-S Block 1 version:

The Epsilon-S Block 1 configuration with the M-35a has an overall length of approximately 26.8 meters.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.0Feb 5, 2026Latest news from JAXA etc. yesterday: they have officially decided to defer the bigger update of the 2nd stage motor ("E-21") for Epsilon-S & re-adapt the existing Epsilon stage 2 motor as the "M-35a" for an interim Epsilon-S Block 1 version:

The first Epsilon-S Block 1 launch is scheduled for the end of JFY 2026 (approximately early 2027).

PlanValue 4.0Feb 5, 2026JAXA will test this re-adapted motor (slight changes still present due to e.g. obsolete components) ~mid-2026 for a 1st Epsilon-S Block 1 launch ~end of JFY 2026 (early 2027-ish). Unfortunately this will have less lift and some launches will be affected.