Press Information

MHI to Exhibit at "Japan Aerospace 2008"
Under Theme of "Explore the Technology Frontier"
-- Focus on H-IIB Rocket, MRJ and Lunar Surface Utilization Plan --

No.1254
Print

Tokyo, September 25, 2008 - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation, the operation in charge of development of the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), will jointly exhibit at the Japan International Aerospace Exhibition 2008 (Japan Aerospace 2008, or JA2008), which is to take place at Pacifico Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, on October 1-5. The major exhibits will include an introduction to MHI's space equipment business, such as the H-IIB Launch Vehicle, and a mockup of the cabin of the MRJ, the next-generation regional jet now under development targeted to go in service in 2013. Under the company's exhibition theme – "Explore the Technology Frontier" – MHI will introduce its highly advanced technologies and comprehensive expertise that will enable realization of the dreams, both near and far, pursued by humankind.

The two companies’ exhibition area will encompass two zones: one focusing on space equipment and the other on aircraft.

Space Equipment Zone
This zone will include models of:
-The H-IIB Launch Vehicle, targeted for initial launching in 2009 and featuring enhanced performance over the H-IIA
-The H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV), the spacecraft to be launched by the H-IIB to transfer cargo to the International Space Station (ISS)
-Next-generation rocket engines currently under development:
     MB-XX: under joint development with Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne of the U.S.
     LE-X: being developed by Japan

Also in this zone, MHI will explain its activities in space development and utilization closer to people’s lives. Among the exhibitions will be the company’s recoverable satellite to serve as a compact space lab for advanced life science and medical applications, and a neutron detector to be used in space experimentation.

MHI will also provide video introductions to the company’s progress in the space equipment business, beginning from development of its N-1 rocket, and its vision for future utilization of the lunar surface. A video and models will also demonstrate the company’s various technologies for realizing a base on the moon and its Space Solar Power System (SSPS) concept, whereby energy will be generated by solar power using huge solar cells placed in stationary orbit around the Earth, and transmitted to Earth by microwave/laser technology.

Aircraft Zone
In the aircraft zone, the MHI exhibition will focus on the MRJ and include the cabin mockup previously shown at the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK in July. The MRJ, currently under development by Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation, is a family of 70 to 90-seat passenger jets that will offer both top-class operational economy and outstanding cabin comfort. MHI will also introduce its activities as Japan's leading company in the defense industry, including models of the F-2 support fighter and SH-60K patrol helicopter.

 


About MHI Group

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world’s leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com.