for the fifth M-V Hayabusa mission was that the reentry and landing of its return capsule demonstrated "that Japan's ballistic missile capability is credible". At a technical level the M-V design could be weaponised quickly (as an Intercontinental ballistic missile, since only payload and guidance have to be changed) although this would be politically unlikely. The M-V is comparable in performance to the LGM-118 Peacekeeper ICBM. Comparable solid fuel rockets Athena II Epsilon Minotaur IV Shavit Minotaur-C Vega See also Comparison of orbital launchers families Comparison of orbital launch systems References External links M-V page in ISAS site of JAXA Epsilon Launch Vehicle at JAXA M-V, Encyclopedia Astronautica Solid-fuel rockets Space launch vehicles of Japan