Japan’s next-generation flagship rocket, the H3, was not launched at the scheduled time on the 17th and is being delayed.
According to Japan’s public NHK, Japan’s new flagship rocket H3 was scheduled to be launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture at 10:37 am on the 17th, but the rocket was not launched.
Currently, the Japan Aerospace Research and Development Agency (JAXA) has not launched on time and is investigating the detailed situation.
According to JAXA announcements broadcast from the launch site, the main engine caught fire, but the auxiliary rocket SRB-3 located on either side of the H3 rocket did not catch fire, NHK reported.
The H3 is the next generation of Japan’s flagship rocket, the H2A. JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries have been promoting the development as a national project by investing about 200 billion yen (1.92 trillion won).
The H3 was newly developed for the first time in about 30 years as a Japanese large-scale rocket, and is the successor to Japan’s flagship rocket ‘H2A’. The weight that can be carried into space has been increased by about 1.3 times that of H2A.
Each launch of H2A costs 10 billion yen. JAXA has set a goal of reducing the launch cost of H3 to 5 billion yen per launch.
The length of the H3 is up to 63m and the diameter is 5.2m. It is a two-stage rocket that is sequentially separated after combustion. The first and second stages use liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as propellants to fly the rocket.
Initially, JAXA decided to launch the H3 from the Tanegashima Space Center at 10:37 am on the 15th. However, JAXA judged that the weather on the 15th at the rocket launch site did not satisfy the launch conditions. According to JAXA, it is stipulated that the movement of the aircraft is impossible when the wind speed exceeds 15 m.
Due to weather conditions, the launch was delayed to 10:37 am on the 17th.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.