The H3 rocket—11 years in the making—is set for its second launch, following a flubbed debut in March 2023. Japan urgently needs the rocket to succeed, with a second failure risking further delays and monumental headaches for Japan’s space program.
It’s time to look back at spaceflight in 2023, a real “two steps forward, one step back” kind of year, filled with highs, lows, and everything in between.
Humans have been launching rockets to space for nearly 80 years, yet it feels as though we’ve only hit the tip of the iceberg in terms of what’s possible. These upcoming rockets provide a promising glimpse of what we can expect during the next era of spaceflight.
Japan’s H3 rocket failed to reach orbit on Monday, so instead of celebrating the debut of a flagship launch vehicle, Japan’s space agency is scrambling to understand what went wrong and what it means for Japanese space policy going forward. There’s also a backlash afoot, with a former astronaut rightly asking why a…
Space is hard—even in 2023. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, instead of celebrating the launch of its new H3 rocket, is now trying to figure out what went wrong during Monday’s failed flight.
Relativity Space is poised to make history on Wednesday with the launch of Terran-1—a rocket primarily constructed from 3D-printed parts. Japan is also set for an inaugural launch, with the delayed H3 rocket now set for a do-over launch.
The H3 remains on the ground following a launch abort at seemingly the last possible moment. Ground controllers said the main engine ignited, but not the solid rocket boosters. The cause is not yet clear, nor when JAXA might re-attempt the launch.
Following a series of technical delays, Japan’s H3 rocket is set to make its much-anticipated debut this week. Here’s what you need to know about the medium-lift rocket and its inaugural mission.