Rocket Girls
Encyclopedia
is a light novel
written by Hōsuke Nojiri
. Set in the Solomon Islands
, it follows the exploits of high-school girl Yukari Morita, who is pressed into service as an astronaut
by the Solomon Space Association when it is unable to build a rocket that can lift the weight of an adult male.
Rocket Girls is adapted as a 12-episode anime
television
series that began airing in February 2007. It was produced with the assistance of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
, which included astronaut Naoko Yamazaki
voicing herself in Episode 7.
The LS-5 is a multistage
expendable
rocket
used by the Solomon Space Association (SSA) to launch the first Japan manned spaceflight
. Although older than the LS-7, this rocket has had more successful launches. This rocket was also used to test the new hybrid-fuel. Three rockets of this type has been constructed so far. Their Command Module (CM) have been called Tanpopo and Coconut.
The LS-7 was a multistage
expendable
rocket
used by the Solomon Space Association (SSA). However, after several failed launches, the rocket was retired and replaced by the older LS-5.
The anime adaption covers titles 1 and 2.
As of 2010-06-25, Viz Media
appears to be planning to release first volume with English translation around September 2010.
Light novel
A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...
written by Hōsuke Nojiri
Hosuke Nojiri
is a Japanese science fiction writer.After a career as a CAD programmer and game designer, he was first published in 1992, the Creguian game novelization....
. Set in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
, it follows the exploits of high-school girl Yukari Morita, who is pressed into service as an astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
by the Solomon Space Association when it is unable to build a rocket that can lift the weight of an adult male.
Rocket Girls is adapted as a 12-episode anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series that began airing in February 2007. It was produced with the assistance of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
The , or JAXA, is Japan's national aerospace agency. Through the merger of three previously independent organizations, JAXA was formed on October 1, 2003, as an Independent Administrative Institution administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the...
, which included astronaut Naoko Yamazaki
Naoko Yamazaki
is a former Japanese female astronaut at JAXA, the second Japanese woman to qualified. The first was Chiaki Mukai.-Early life:Yamazaki was born Naoko Sumino in Matsudo City. She spent two years of her childhood in Sapporo...
voicing herself in Episode 7.
LS-5 Rocket
| Height | Diameter | Liftoff mass | Liftoff thrust | Payload to LEO Low Earth orbit A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21.0m | 2.4m | 116.6t | 140.0t | 1.1t |
The LS-5 is a multistage
Multistage rocket
A multistage rocket is a rocket that usestwo or more stages, each of which contains its own engines and propellant. A tandem or serial stage is mounted on top of another stage; a parallel stage is attached alongside another stage. The result is effectively two or more rockets stacked on top of or...
expendable
Expendable launch system
An expendable launch system is a launch system that uses an expendable launch vehicle to carry a payload into space. The vehicles used in expendable launch systems are designed to be used only once , and their components are not recovered for re-use after launch...
rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
used by the Solomon Space Association (SSA) to launch the first Japan manned spaceflight
Human spaceflight
Human spaceflight is spaceflight with humans on the spacecraft. When a spacecraft is manned, it can be piloted directly, as opposed to machine or robotic space probes and remotely-controlled satellites....
. Although older than the LS-7, this rocket has had more successful launches. This rocket was also used to test the new hybrid-fuel. Three rockets of this type has been constructed so far. Their Command Module (CM) have been called Tanpopo and Coconut.
LS-7 Rocket
| Height | Diameter | Liftoff mass | Liftoff thrust | Payload to LEO Low Earth orbit A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31.0m | 2.5m | 328.0t | 259.2t | 2.3t |
The LS-7 was a multistage
Multistage rocket
A multistage rocket is a rocket that usestwo or more stages, each of which contains its own engines and propellant. A tandem or serial stage is mounted on top of another stage; a parallel stage is attached alongside another stage. The result is effectively two or more rockets stacked on top of or...
expendable
Expendable launch system
An expendable launch system is a launch system that uses an expendable launch vehicle to carry a payload into space. The vehicles used in expendable launch systems are designed to be used only once , and their components are not recovered for re-use after launch...
rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
used by the Solomon Space Association (SSA). However, after several failed launches, the rocket was retired and replaced by the older LS-5.
List of Light Novels
| # | Title | Japan | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | Japanese | Release date | ISBN | |
| 01 | High School Girl, Lift off! | 女子高生、リフトオフ! | March 1995 | ISBN 4-8291-2618-3 |
| October 2006 | ISBN 4-8291-1851-2 | |||
| 02 | Angels' Well that Ends Well | 天使は結果オーライ | December 1996 | ISBN 4-8291-2723-6 |
| November 2006 | ISBN 4-8291-1875-X | |||
| 03 | Fly to the Moon with Me | 私と月につきあって | August 1999 | ISBN 4-8291-2896-8 |
| January 2007 | ISBN 978-4-8291-1882-5 | |||
| 04 | Rendezvous with the Witch | 魔法使いとランデブー | August 2007 | ISBN 978-4-8291-1919-8 |
The anime adaption covers titles 1 and 2.
As of 2010-06-25, Viz Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
appears to be planning to release first volume with English translation around September 2010.
Episode list
| # | Title | Original airdate | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OP/ED Songs
- Opening: "RISE" by ICHIKOICHIKOis a Japanese singer and songwriter. She has performed theme songs for animation.- Singles :# Koi no Mahou ## Koi no Mahou ## We'd get there someday...
- Ending (#1): "Ashite Iki no Bus ni Notte" by misae (ep.s 1-11)
- Ending (#2): "Waratte!" ("Smile!") by ICHIKO (ep. 12)