[5] Interstellar Technologies predecessor company was established in 2003 by Takafumi Horie, who previously founded the ISP Livedoor.
A subsequent test in 2019 was successful at taking a 20 kg payload on a suborbital trajectory to the edge of space.
As of 2017[update], the company planned to develop a rocket by 2020 that would be capable of launching small satellites into orbit.
[9] The initial rocket the company is developing is the MOMO sounding rocket: In response to the problems encountered in the engine nozzle and ignitor during the fifth launch and in the first attempt of the sixth launch (June and July 2020 respectively) Interstellar Technology began development of a full system upgrade.
[13] During a video conference on June 1, 2021 they announced the end of the upgrading process that focused on engine system, airframe equipment, avionics, and ground support equipment [14] resulting in new nozzles, new ignitors, an increase in dry mass by 40 kg, in propellant mass by 30 kg, in length by 0.2 m and in thrust by 2 kN.
[37] LC-1 will be equipped with an exhaust duct to reduce noise from the engine jet and minimize damage to the satellite from vibration.