NHK has learned that Japan's space agency is aiming for the first launch of its H3 rocket on February 12.
The launch of the country's new mainstay vehicle is set to take place at Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan.
The development of the successor to the H2A rocket is in the final stages.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries carried out an engine combustion test on the space center's launch pad in November. They confirmed there is no problem for the H3's launch.
The H3's development started eight years ago. To compete with foreign rivals in the space business, the vehicle is designed to have a payload about 30 percent heavier than that of the H2A and a launch cost about half of that rocket's.
The H3's first launch was initially planned in fiscal 2020, but it was delayed mainly due to unexpected vibrations in the main engine.
The new rocket will also be used in the US-led Artemis program, which aims to put humans on the moon.
The launch of the country's new mainstay vehicle is set to take place at Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan.
The development of the successor to the H2A rocket is in the final stages.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries carried out an engine combustion test on the space center's launch pad in November. They confirmed there is no problem for the H3's launch.
The H3's development started eight years ago. To compete with foreign rivals in the space business, the vehicle is designed to have a payload about 30 percent heavier than that of the H2A and a launch cost about half of that rocket's.
The H3's first launch was initially planned in fiscal 2020, but it was delayed mainly due to unexpected vibrations in the main engine.
The new rocket will also be used in the US-led Artemis program, which aims to put humans on the moon.
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Summary
Japan's space agency, JAXA, plans to launch its new mainstay H3 rocket on February 12 from Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture. The H3, a successor to the H2A rocket, is designed to carry heavier payloads and reduce costs compared to its predecessor. The development of the H3 has been
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ID: c64673f2-41c2-4f7c-95dc-cec07ec180f5
Category ID: nhk
URL: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221222_06/
Date: Dec. 22, 2022
Created: 2022/12/22 07:26
Updated: 2025/12/09 10:06
Last Read: 2022/12/22 07:39