"The launch was the eighth for the H3, a medium-lift rocket that JAXA developed to replace the H-IIA launcher, which flew fifty times between 2001 and 2025 with just one mission failure. The H3 can launch under its own power, or with assistance from two or four solid-fuel boosters. That versatility means it is suited to many missions. The first H3 flight took place in March 2023 and failed when the rocket did not receive the command to ignite its second stage."
"The next six H3 missions all succeeded, but according to JAXA, during Monday's launch "the second stage engine's second ignition failed to start normally and shut down prematurely." The H3 now has a 25 percent failure rate, a problem for Japan and the world. The rocket's failure is bad news for Japan because the country's space program is ambitious and strategic."
JAXA created a task force to investigate the failed eighth H3 rocket launch, where the second stage engine's second ignition failed to start normally and shut down prematurely. H3 is a medium-lift rocket developed to replace the H‑IIA and can fly with up to four solid-fuel boosters. The first H3 flight failed in March 2023 when the second stage did not receive an ignition command; the next six missions succeeded. The H3 now has a 25 percent failure rate. The failed mission carried QZS‑5 for Japan's seven-satellite navigation constellation and threatens plans to launch LUPEX with ISRO. ISRO prepares an LVM3 launch carrying AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird Block‑2.
Read at Theregister
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]