H3 (space rocket)

2025: Failure during launch

On December 21, 2025, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was unable to launch a navigation satellite into orbit when the new H3 launch vehicle was launched. The unsuccessful launch was carried out from the Tanegashima cosmodrome in the south-west of the country.

According to the publication Space, during the mission there was an anomaly in the operation of the second stage engine. JAXA Executive Director and Launch Director Masashi Okada said the engine stopped operating ahead of schedule. It was not possible to confirm the separation of the Michibiki 5 satellite from the rocket. The exact location of the device and its condition remain unknown.

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Фото: space.com

A spokesman for Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology described the incident as an event of "extreme regret." He added that the government has formed a special group to study the circumstances of the failure and develop measures aimed at "restoring confidence."

This launch was the seventh for the H3 rocket and the second failure. The first trial flight in March 2023 also ended in failure due to problems starting the second stage engine.

The H3 rocket was developed as a more competitive replacement for the H-2A model, which had high reliability. Its creation is seen as a key element for strengthening Japan's position in the global space launch market and ensuring national security.

The setback delays plans to deploy Japan's quasi-monetary satellite system, QZSS. This system, according to the Japanese authorities, is designed to improve the accuracy and availability of satellite positioning signals in Japan and the Asia-Oceania region. It works in combination with the American GPS system, providing redundancy and increased accuracy for the navigation of smartphones, sea vessels and unmanned vehicles.^[1]

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