The Japanese government confirmed on the 22nd that the H3 rocket carrying the navigation satellite "Mizuhodo 5" failed to launch, and the satellite did not enter its intended orbit. The H3 rocket, developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, took off from the Tanegashima Space Center in the morning, but about 30 minutes later, the second-stage engine stopped burning prematurely, leading to the termination of the sixth Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) satellite launch mission. The "Mizuhodo" series is considered Japan's version of GPS, mainly used to supplement the global positioning system and improve positioning accuracy. This is another major setback for Japan's new generation of main carrier rocket H3, following its first flight failure in March 2023. The Japanese government had originally planned to launch the seventh Quasi-Zenith Satellite in February 2026 to achieve a goal of not relying on foreign navigation systems, and this failure may lead to delays in the overall schedule. Compared to the approximately 98% success rate of its predecessor H2A rocket, the H3 rocket has already experienced two failures in limited launches, which has clearly impacted confidence in Japan's space industry.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1852270421806283/
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