TOKYO, February 17 The re-launch of the new Japanese H3 rocket after the separation of the second stage engine and one of the microsatellites was considered successful, the Japanese Aerospace Agency JAXA said during the broadcast.
The launch took place at 09.22 local time (03.22 Moscow time) from the Tanegashima launch site in southern Japan. The launch was initially scheduled for February 15, but was postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions.
The first test launch of the new Japanese H3 rocket took place on March 7 last year, but 14 minutes after launch, JAXA sent an order for the rocket to self-destruct due to the fact that the second stage engine did not ignite. The rocket fell into the sea near the Philippines. The probable cause of a failure in the rocket's power supply system was an overcurrent.
In the new version of the rocket, the ignition system was improved. H3 carries a dummy satellite that matches the weight and balance of the real Daichi-3 Earth observation satellite, which was carried by the first such rocket in 2023, as well as two microsatellites.
The N3 rocket is a two-stage liquid-fuel rocket that is intended to replace the currently used N2A. The H3 can carry 1.3 times the payload of the H2A, and its launch costs are half that of the H2A. Development began nine years ago and cost JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 200 billion yen ($1.5 billion). N3 is considered the first new development of a large rocket in 30 years.