Japan's maiden launch of H3 rocket fails during second stage flight

In the latest update of the Jaxa Rocket launch, Japan's H3 rocket has failed its first test flight. According to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the H3 rocket took off from Tanegashima Space Center on Monday, March 6, at 8:37 p.m. EST, reported a local newspaper. After the liftoff, 5 minutes and 27 seconds later, a command was sent to the rocket for stage separation and second-stage ignition. Later, after seven minutes from the separation and ignition stage,  launch commentators on JAXA's live stream on YouTube witnessed that the rocket's velocity fell and that second-stage ignition was not confirmed.

Japan's new H3 rocket got a second chance at a debut launch on March 7. Earlier, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) tried to debut the H3 on February 16, however, that attempt failed and the mission was aborted. This happened due to the vehicle's two solid rocket boosters failed to ignite as planned. According to the investigation, the cause of the anomaly was because of a problem with the electrical system that supplies power to the H3's core-stage engines and worked to get the rocket ready for another liftoff attempt. 

Taking to Twitter, JAXA wrote, "The Live stream of the first H3 Launch Vehicle (#H3 TF1) with Advanced Land Observing Satellite-3 (ALOS-3) onboard has just started now." 

The Live stream of the first H3 Launch Vehicle (#H3 TF1) with Advanced Land Observing Satellite-3 (ALOS-3) onboard has just started now. Please join us on our JAXAChannel!https://t.co/nUzFPrQ6gj

— JAXA(Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) (@JAXA_en)

"JAXA has set up the schedule for the launch of the first H3 Launch Vehicle (H3 TF1) carrying the Advanced Land Observing Satellite "DAICHI-3" (ALOS-3)," read the press release by JAXA. Further, the press release also shared the details of the Launch date, time, and window. The reserved launch period would be from March 8 to March 10. 

H3 Launch Vehicle second chance 

Japan has huge plans related to H3 and has been designed to be flexible and cost-effective. The space project has been developed by the JAXA and its partner Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the past decades. The aim behind the launch is to replace the nation's workhorse H-IIA rocket. Although, this first mission would be a test flight. The H3 would be carrying an operational payload which is a 3-ton Earth-observing spacecraft called the Advanced Land Observation Satellite (ALOS-3, or Daichi-3). The H3 would deliver ALOS-3 to low Earth orbit if all goes as planned. The sharp-eyed satellite would then study our planet in detail for a variety of applications.

"ALOS-3 aims to become one of the key tools for disaster management and countermeasures of the central and local governments," said one of the Japan aero space officials in an ALOS-3 mission description. Further, they added, "The observed data from ALOS-3 is expected to lead to progress in the various fields due to its unique imaging capabilities; it will make a significant contribution to upgrading global geospatial information and research and application for monitoring of the coastal/vegetation environment." 

The H3 stands 187 feet or 207 feet tall (57 or 63 m), depending on the length of two possible payload fairings that can be used for each mission. The rocket is capable of delivering "4 tons or more" to a 310-mile-high (500 km) sun-synchronous orbit and "6.5 tons or more" to a geostationary transfer orbit, according to JAXA's specifications page.