Japan’s H3 space rocket, designed to enhance the country’s independent access to space and increase its market share in the global launch industry, failed to blast off on Friday, February 19th. According to media reports, the main engine of the 57-meter high rocket ignited, but two booster engines failed to do so.
During the live-streamed event, the main engine cut off after the countdown reached zero, leaving the rocket on its launch pad at the Tanegashima Space Center on Tanegashima Island in southwestern Kagoshima prefecture.
In a news conference held later that day, JAXA mission manager Masashi Okada confirmed that the launch had been aborted during countdown due to the proper functioning of safety features.
The ignition of the main SE-9 engine was successful, but the signal to ignite the pair of auxiliary booster SRB-3s was not sent after an abnormality was detected in the process, possibly in the electrical system. Okada expressed regret over the failed launch and stated that JAXA would investigate the cause and attempt another launch before the current launch window closes on March 10th.
The H3 rocket was developed to replace the H2A, Japan’s current rocket mainstay, which has been launched 46 times and is scheduled to retire after 50 launches. The H3 was designed to carry government and commercial satellites into orbit and ferry supplies to the International Space Station. Its design and manufacture have been simplified to reduce costs, with a basic launch costing around $50 million, half the cost of launching the older H2A rocket.
If the launch had been successful, the H3 would have carried Japan’s ALOS-3 land observation satellite into orbit. This observation satellite is a critical tool for disaster-management imaging and is equipped with an infrared sensor designed to detect North Korean ballistic missiles.
This is not the first time that JAXA has faced setbacks in its space program. In October 2020, the flight of an Epsilon-6 unmanned rocket was aborted less than seven minutes after takeoff with a self-destruct command.
JAXA officials stated that the rocket was not in its correct position to safely enter a planned orbit. The rocket and its payloads were expected to fall into the sea east of the Philippines after the self-destruct order was sent.
In conclusion, the H3 rocket’s failed launch is a setback for Japan’s space program, which aims to increase its market share in the global launch industry. JAXA has promised to investigate the cause of the failure and attempt another launch before the current launch window closes on March 10th.
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