Japan takes another shot at next-generation H3 rocket launch

Japan will try again this weekend to launch its new flagship rocket, the H3, in a bid to restore its space program after the booster’s failed inaugural flight last year derailed satellite and planetary exploration plans.
Coupled with the historic “pinpoint” moon landing of its SLIM spacecraft last month, a successful H3 liftoff would demonstrate Japan’s space capabilities to its close ally the United States as a counterweight to China’s military and technological might.
“For Japan, the H3’s success is crucial to prove to the world that it is capable of launching satellites continuously,” said Kazuto Suzuki, a University of Tokyo professor specialising in space policy. “Making a good spacecraft is meaningless if you can’t launch it on a rocket.”
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) plans to launch its second H3 on Saturday from its Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan. JAXA delayed the launch by two days to avoid high winds and thunders.