Regarding Japan's new flagship rocket "H3", JAXA = Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has officially announced that it will launch the first unit at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture on February 12 next year.
"H3" is the successor to the current flagship rocket "H2A," and has been developed by JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries at a cost of over 200 billion yen.
The development is in the final stage, and last month, the rocket was moved to the launch point at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, and a test to burn the engine was performed with good results, and preparations for launch were underway.
On the 23rd, JAXA officially announced that the first satellite will be launched on February 12th next year.
The first satellite will be equipped with the Earth Observation Satellite "DAICHI-3", which is expected to be used to grasp the situation of disasters.
"H3" is the longest in Japan with a total length of about 63 meters.
With the aim of competing overseas in the rocket launch business, we plan
to increase the weight that can be carried into space to about 1.3 times that of the H2A, and
to reduce the launch cost to about half of the current level.
Development began eight years ago .
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However, in order to reduce costs, the development of a new main engine with a simpler structure ran into difficulties, and the launch was postponed twice.
It is also planned to be used in the "Artemis Project", which explores the moon as a foothold for mankind to advance into space, such as the United States, and whether it will show a smooth start as a new main domestic rocket, the launch of the first unit will be watched. .