* Astronomy

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will stop producing M-5 solid-fuel rockets and replace them with cheaper ones in the next fiscal year, JAXA officials said Thursday.
JAXA has determined the M-5 capabilities and price tag are excessive. The M-5 can put satellites of up to 1.8 tons into orbit at a height of 250 km and a cost of 7 billion yen per launch. However, most of the satellites Japan plans to launch will only weigh about 500 kg.

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