Tokyo : The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced the successful launch of the H3 rocket on its sixth mission after resolving a technical issue that affected its previous flight.
The rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture in south-western Japan and successfully deployed six small satellites into their designated orbits at an altitude of 580 kilometres, achieving all primary mission objectives.
The mission marked the first use of the upgraded “30 configuration”, a new low-cost variant powered by three liquid-fuel engines without conventional rocket boosters.
Japan aims to use the new configuration to reduce launch costs and strengthen its competitiveness in the commercial and scientific space transportation market, supporting plans to expand its space activities and exploration programmes.
The agency said the mission represents an important step in the development of Japan’s space programme. The Japanese government and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries plan to increase the number of launches, with the H3 rocket expected to become Japan’s primary platform for upcoming space missions.
