Regarding the first unit of Japan's new main rocket "H3", which was scheduled to be launched on the 15th, JAXA = Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said that it is expected that the weather conditions around the launch site will not be met. The launch date is set for the 17th of this month.
"H3" is the successor to the current flagship rocket "H2A," and is being developed by JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries at a cost of over 200 billion yen.
The launch of the first unit was scheduled for 10:37 am on the 15th at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, but JAXA said that it was expected that the weather conditions would be unfavorable due to strong winds on the day of the launch. We set the launch date on the 17th of this month.
According to JAXA, if the launch becomes impossible, it will be necessary to return the rocket to the assembly building, but it is expected that the wind will increase at that time, and it has been determined that working at high altitudes is dangerous.
The "H3" is Japan's first new large-scale launch vehicle in 30 years, with a plan to increase the weight that can be carried into space to about 1.3 times that of the "H2A" and cut launch costs to about half of the current level, nine years ago. started development.
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.
Attention is focused on whether this launch will show a smooth start as a new main domestic rocket.