Japan Successfully Launches H3 Rocket After Failure In 2023

JAKARTA - Japan finally managed to launch a new H3 rocket at the Tanegashima Space Center on an island in Kagoshima Prefecture on Saturday 17 February, following a launch failure in 2023.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said the H3 No.2 rocket entered its planned orbit after takeoff at around 09:22 local time (07:22 WIB) and carried a mock satellite and two active microsatellites.

Through the new launch, JAXA wants to ensure the rocket's capacity in controlling its position and deploying satellites. The mock satellite has the same weight and balance as the one on the No.1 H3 rocket which was ordered in March 2023 to self-destruct a few minutes after launch as the second stage engine failed to turn on. The failure resulted in a series of delays in rocket development.

Learning from this failure, the No.2 rocket has an upgraded combustion system. JAXA also ensures that the second stage engine turns on properly about five minutes after takeoff.

Then, one of the two microsatellites was deployed on schedule and the agency is now examining whether the other satellites and their mock satellites have been successfully released.

The H3 launch vehicle, which is expected to be the successor to Japan's current flagship H2A rocket, is likely to be used to deliver supplies and materials to the International Space Station and Gateway, a outpost orbiting the moon planned under the Artemis space program led by the United States.

The H3 rocket, which is the first reshuffle of the main launch vehicle within 20 years, is also expected to provide Japan with sustainable access to space.

Japan is targeting to gain a foothold in the increasingly competitive satellite launch business. This is in line with the increasingly fierce global competition since the United States SpaceX which has a strong poll record in rocket launches entered the market.