Fifth H-3 rocket launched Michibiki No. 6 satellite successfully.
JAXA successfully launched the fifth H-3 rocket carrying Michibiki No. 6, enhancing Japan's satellite-based positioning system.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, just pulled off a big win by launching the fifth H-3 rocket with the Michibiki No. 6 satellite. This launch went down from the Tanegashima Space Center at 5:30 p.m., putting the satellite right into its target orbit as part of Japan's own version of the U.S. GPS. These Michibiki satellites are no joke, giving location data accurate to within a few centimeters. With the first one hitting the skies in 2010, Japan's aiming for seven operational satellites by fiscal 2025 to ditch reliance on other GPS data.
The Michibiki No. 6 is a beefy 19 meters long and weighs in at 1.9 tons. This whole operation's costing about ¥100 billion for the satellite and two more set to launch next year. The H-3 rocket series had a rocky start, with a failure in March 2023, but they've hit the mark ever since then. Mitsubishi Heavy is looking to build on these successes to snag more orders, with plans for JAXA to eventually hand over the launch business. Big moves on the horizon for Japan's space game!
Read more__〆(￣ー￣ )
Fascinated by Japan’s culture and history? Learn the language that brings it all to life. Start now at LearnJapanese.com!
