The Mitsubishi SpaceJet, designated in Japanese as 三菱スペースジェット, and originally christened the Mitsubishi Regional Jet, stood as an ambitious regional jet initiative helmed by the Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation (MAC), a subsidiary nestled under the broad umbrella of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). MHI unveiled the concept with much fanfare in June 2007, casting its sights on achieving certification by the year 2012. This move marked a significant milestone as it represented the first foray into the world of airliners by a Japanese company since the inception of the 1962 NAMC YS-11. However, the journey from concept to reality proved to be a labyrinth of challenges and delays.
The development trajectory of the MRJ90, the maiden aircraft under this venture, was anything but smooth, culminating in its inaugural flight on the 11th of November, 2015. Fast forward to June 2019, and Mitsubishi took the strategic decision to rebrand the entire Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) program, giving birth to the Mitsubishi SpaceJet, a name that promised innovation and a new horizon in aviation. This program, delivered in Japanese as 三菱リージョナルジェット, witnessed extensive flight testing phases that stretched longer than initially anticipated. As a result, the timeline for its entry into commercial service witnessed numerous delays, leading to a temporary pause in development in October 2020, before the unfortunate and ultimate cancellation of the project in February 2023.
In terms of its structural composition, the Mitsubishi SpaceJet boasted an airframe predominantly crafted from aluminium, complemented by a tail section-an empennage-fashioned from carbon fibre composite materials. The aircraft featured a low-wing design, and its propulsion was entrusted to the Pratt & Whitney PW1000Gs engines, mounted gracefully under its wings. Notably, the SpaceJet program was the pioneer in selecting the geared turbofan for its power needs.
The seating configuration of the M90 model, initially known as the MRJ90, was designed to comfortably accommodate between 86 to 96 passengers. In contrast, its smaller counterpart, the MRJ70, was intended to seat between 70 to 80 travelers. However, in a strategic pivot, the MRJ70 was superseded by the SpaceJet M100-a design stretched by 1.1 meters (or 3 feet 7 inches)-in a move tailored to better align with the U.S. scope clauses, allowing for 76 seats with the inclusion of premium seating options.
In the competitive landscape of regional aviation, the Mitsubishi SpaceJet positioned itself as a formidable contender, holding its ground against established players such as the Embraer E-Jet E2 family, showcasing Mitsubishi's audacious vision for the future of aviation.
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