TOKYO: Japan’s space agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), has announced plans to launch its next-generation H3 rocket on February 15.
This comes after two failed attempts earlier in the year, with the spacecraft being forced to self-destruct in March and a failed launch in February due to issues with the solid rocket boosters.
The H3 rocket, developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, is positioned as a flexible and cost-effective flagship for Japan’s space program. The upcoming launch will take place between 9:22 am and 1:06 pm (0022 and 0406 GMT) from the southern island of Tanegashima. The rocket will carry an instrument to assess its performance, along with two small secondary satellites.
The third launch attempt follows Japan’s recent success in putting the SLIM space probe, nicknamed the “Moon Sniper,” into the moon’s orbit. Despite this achievement, Japan has faced challenges in its space endeavors, including the self-destruction of the solid-fuel Epsilon rocket last year and an explosion during a test of the improved Epsilon S rocket in July.
The upcoming launch aims to validate the H3 rocket’s capabilities and mark a successful milestone for Japan’s space exploration efforts.
