Japan’s main H3 rocket successfully reached orbit and deployed two small observation satellites in a crucial second attempt after a failed initial launch in the previous year, boosting the country’s prospects in the international space competition.

The H3 rocket successfully launched from the Tanegashima Space Center on Saturday morning, following a two-day delay due to inclement weather.

According to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the rocket achieved a successful orbit at an altitude of approximately 670 kilometers (around 420 miles) and released two satellites.

“We are grateful to announce the positive outcomes,” stated JAXA President Hiroshi Yamakawa during a press briefing.

The main objectives of the H3 are to ensure autonomous entry into space and maintain competitiveness as the global need for satellite launches increases. According to Yamakawa, “We have taken a significant initial step towards reaching this goal today.”

The launch is a significant achievement for Japan’s space program, which has had a recent string of accomplishments. These include the precise landing of an unmanned spacecraft on the moon last month, marking a historic event.

The launch was closely observed as a trial for Japan’s space progress, following the failure of H3’s first flight in March to activate the second-stage engine. JAXA and its primary contractor, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, have been working on H3 as a replacement for their current main rocket, H-2A, which is scheduled to retire after two additional flights.

As the rocket took flight and successfully dropped off its initial payload, team members at the JAXA control center celebrated and embraced in live footage. NHK television captured some workers at a media center shedding tears of relief and happiness.

The project manager for the JAXA H3 project, Masashi Okada, declared the outcome as “flawless,” stating that H3 successfully completed all objectives for Saturday’s launch. “After much anticipation, the newly developed H3 finally had its inaugural success.”

Okada expressed relief at the weight lifted from his shoulders. However, he acknowledged that the true beginning for H3 has arrived and the team will strive to enhance it continuously.

The H3 No. 2 rocket was adorned with numerous stickers displaying sentiments from supporters all over the nation.

Two small satellites, the CE-SAT-IE observation satellite from Canon Electronics and TIRSAT, a collaborative effort from multiple companies and universities, were launched on the H3 rocket on Saturday. The creators expressed their readiness to take a risk due to the increasing demand in the satellite industry.

The H3, measuring 57 meters (187 feet), is engineered to transport bigger payloads compared to the H-2A at a significantly reduced expense of around 50 billion yen ($330 million), in order to compete on a global scale.

According to Masayuki Eguchi, the leader of Mitsubishi Heavy’s defense and space division, the company aims to increase its price competitiveness through approximately twelve additional launches.

“I am pleased to witness this remarkable achievement in the field of space exploration, following the successful SLIM moon landing,” said Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on X, formerly known as Twitter. “I have high hopes for the consistent progress of Japan’s primary rocket.”

Last month, an H-2A rocket effectively put a surveillance satellite into its intended orbit. Shortly after, JAXA’s unmanned spacecraft SLIM achieved the world’s first precise landing on the moon and collected data from the lunar surface.

Source: wral.com