Briefly: Midsize rocket project faces review

Total costs for development of the GX midsize rocket will rise to a maximum of about 210 billion yen, its developers said Thursday.

The revised estimate, up from an initial projection of 45 billion yen, is certain to trigger calls for drastic review, and possibly a suspension of the joint project started in fiscal 2002 between the government and the private sector.

The project, on which about 70 billion yen has already been spent, is six years behind schedule.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Galaxy Express Corp. submitted a report to a science ministry panel saying that it will require an additional 140 billion yen at most.(IHT/Asahi: May 16,2008)