Japan successfully launches next-generation H3 rocket on third attempt
Tokyo:
Japan’s space agency announced the successful launch of its new flagship rocket on Saturday, making it third time lucky for the H3 after years of delays and two previous failed attempts.
The H3 rocket, described by space agency JAXA as flexible and cost-effective, was “placed into orbit” at 9:22 a.m. (0022 GMT) from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan, a JAXA official told AFP. Launched. ,
Next generation H3 rocket to space
The latest launch follows Japan’s successful landing of an unmanned probe on the Moon last month – albeit at an awkward angle – making it the fifth country to land a probe on Earth’s satellite.
Cheers and applause could be heard from the JAXA control center after the agency announced in the livestream that the H3 engine had successfully burned, meaning the rocket had entered orbit.
Developed jointly by JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, H3 is the successor to the H-IIA launch system, which debuted in 2001.
Designed for “high flexibility, high reliability and high cost performance”, the spacecraft will “maintain Japan’s autonomous access to space”, JAXA says.
The first H3 launch in February 2023 was aborted when an ignition problem caused the rocket to stall on the ground.
In the second attempt in March last year, a demolition order was issued soon after the blast due to technical problems.
Later improvements were made to the ignition system of the H3, which carries two small satellites.
One of the microsatellites is expected to contribute to disaster prevention by taking photos and video.
The second is equipped with a sensor to detect infrared rays, the purpose of which is to detect the operating conditions of factories on the ground.
The separation of the microsatellites was also confirmed, according to JAXA’s livestream.
“We will continue to analyze the sequences after successfully placing the rocket into orbit,” the JAXA official said.
The latest launch was postponed from February 13 due to bad weather.
Associate Professor Alice Gorman, a space exploration expert at Flinders University, said the H3 “will be an all-rounder – capable of launching satellites into Earth orbit, serving as a supply vehicle for space stations and going to the Moon”. .
Saturday’s successful launch boosted JAXA’s reputation after a series of failures including a different rocket, a solid-fuel model called Epsilon-6.
Japan succeeded in landing its SLIM spacecraft, dubbed “Moon Sniper,” on the lunar surface last month, even though the spacecraft’s solar panels were facing the wrong way.
Despite a series of past setbacks, overall, Japan’s space program punches above its weight, said Adrian Michael Cruz, professor emeritus of astrophysics at the University of Birmingham.
“The country’s future ambitions in space exploration are challenging some of the key players,” he said.
“However, space payloads are becoming heavier and heavier, and to remain competitive in the missions in which it can be deployed, Japan needs access to more powerful launch vehicles like the H3.”
Unlike the reusable Falcon 9, the H3 is expendable, but scientists say testing its world-first technology is vital.
“The H3 rocket has a unique and innovative first stage engine that provides greater thrust than state-of-the-art rockets,” said Michelle Trenti, director of the Melbourne Space Laboratory at the University of Melbourne.
The H3 “has the potential to be the most cost-effective rocket ever”, making exploration of the Solar System more affordable.
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