Japan’s first privately owned rocket to be fueled by ethanol

In Japan, the country’s first privately owned rocket to potentially reach an altitude of 100km is to be powered by ethanol. Interstellar Technologies, founded by maverick Japanese entrepreneur Takafumi Horie, could launch the rocket in January and will collect atmospheric data during its four-minute flight before falling into the Pacific Ocean. Although ethanol provides less thrust than traditional hydrazine rocket fuel, it is cheaper and less toxic. The company has managed to significantly reduce the budget for the rocket by combining conventional technologies.