H3

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.Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: 3 Things We Love and HateH3 is ready to fly again after its botched maiden launch last year, with Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) targeting Wednesday, February 14 at 7:22 p.m. ET (Thursday, February 15 at 9:22 a.m. JST). The two-stage…

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.China's Plan to Land Astronauts on the MoonThe New Space Race is in full swing, and with both public and private entities pushing the limits of what’s possible, failures are an inevitability, as is progress. 2023 was no exception, with some notable achievements like historic deep space missions and advancements in satellite and rocket technology, alongside setbacks such…

Earlier this week, Relativity Space’s 3D-printed Terran 1 rocket failed to reach orbit on its first flight. That’s now the sixth failed launch in the past four months across the global space industry, in what’s an upsetting yet not altogether surprising trend. Read more... Earlier this week, Relativity Space’s 3D-printed Terran 1 rocket failed to reach orbit on its first flight. That’s now the sixth failed launch in the past four months across the global space industry, in what’s an upsetting yet not altogether…

The Vulcan Certification One Booster, May 10, 2022. Photo: ULAAnother heavy-lift launch vehicle we’re excited about is the two-stage Vulcan Centaur being developed by United Launch Alliance. The fully expendable 202-foot-tall (62-meter) rocket, in development since 2014, is set to replace ULA’s Atlas V and Delta IV rockets, both of which have been in use for the past two decades. “The Vulcan Centaur Program was established by ULA to reduce cost, increase launch capability and provide the opportunity to partner with…

Launch of H3 on March 6, 2023.Photo: Kyodo News (AP)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 $2o0 million satellite was included in the test mission.The H3 rocket took flight on Monday at 8:37 p.m. ET, lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Center in…

The H3 rocket left the pad but was destroyed shortly after first stage separation. Gif: JAXA/GizmodoSpace 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 today’s failed flight.The two-stage H3 rocket left the pad on schedule, rising into the sky at 8:37 p.m. ET from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. It was only after first stage separation that things started to go wrong, with ground controllers…

The H3 Launch Vehicle was returned to a building for assembling at the Tanegashima Space Center in Minamitane Town, Kagoshima Prefecture on February 18.Photo: Yomiuri Shimbun (AP)Update: 9:35 p.m. ET: The H3 rocket left the launch pad on time, but an apparent failure with the second stage engines forced controllers to issue a self-destruct command. More here. Original article follows.Japan’s highly anticipated H3 rocket sputtered on the launch pad during its first launch attempt, but its space agency is now ready to…

The view from Orion on day 20 of NASA’s Artemis 1 mission. Photo: NASARelativity 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. We’re now into March, and things are really starting to heat up in the world of spaceflight. It’s going to be a busy week along Florida’s Space Coast, with at least three launches ready to rock. We’ve also got our eye…

Artistic impression of the H3 rocket during launch. Screenshot: JAXAIt’s been a long road, but the time has finally come for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to light the 207-foot-tall candle known as the H3 launch vehicle. You can catch the action live right here.Should all go as planned, the H3 medium-lift rocket will blast off within a brief seven-minute launch window that opens on Thursday, February 16 at 8:37 p.m. ET (Friday, February 17 at 10:37 a.m. JST). JAXA’s broadcast of the launch, available at the…