The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) successfully launched its most powerful rocket, the H3, on Sunday. This rocket carries the newly developed and unmanned cargo ship, HTV-X1, for its inaugural mission to deliver supplies to the International Space Station (ISS).
The launch took place at the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan. JAXA confirmed that the HTV-X1 successfully achieved its planned orbit 14 minutes after liftoff. Following separation from the rocket, the cargo ship is expected to reach the ISS in a few days.
Kimiya Yui, a Japanese astronaut currently aboard the ISS, is set to capture the cargo ship using a robotic arm during the early hours of Thursday.
The HTV-X1 is designed to succeed the previous H-II Transfer Vehicle, known as Kounotori, which conducted nine successful missions to the ISS between 2009 and 2020. This new cargo vessel has a greater payload capacity and can provide energy during flight, enabling it to transport laboratory samples that require low-temperature storage.
Additionally, the HTV-X is capable of docking with the ISS for up to six months to deliver supplies and retrieve waste. It will also conduct technical missions during its orbital flight after leaving the station, this time for a duration of three months.
The launch event also marked a successful debut for the upgraded H3 rocket, which features four boosters and a larger payload compartment. JAXA President Hiroshi Yamakawa described the launch as “a significant step forward,” showcasing Japan”s capability to deliver supplies to space and establishing a foundation for autonomous space activities.
Iwao Igarashi, head of the Space Business Department at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which collaborated with JAXA on the H3″s development and rocket operations, noted that Japan”s track record of precise and punctual launches proves their ability to meet diverse customer needs. The company plans to expand its launch facilities in light of this success.
The H3 rocket replaces the well-regarded H-2A rocket, which completed its final flight in June. This new flagship model is designed to be more cost-competitive in the global space market. Following a previous launch attempt that had to be aborted in 2023, the H3 has since achieved six consecutive successful flights.
Japan considers a stable and commercially competitive space transport capability essential for its national security and ongoing space program.
