Japan Successfully Launches 4th H3 Rocket
Tanegashima, Kagoshima Pref., Nov. 4 (Jiji Press)--The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, on Monday successfully launched the fourth of its H3 rocket carrying an X-band defense communication satellite.
The Kirameki-3 geostationary satellite was put into orbit about 30 minutes after the rocket lifted off from Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, at 3:48 p.m. local time.
Three consecutive successful launches of the H3 rocket brought the project to the stage of stable operation, Makoto Arita, JAXA's H3 project manager, said at a press conference. "We think it's a very big step," he said.
Monday's successful launch will contribute to Japan's security and the improvement of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces' operational capabilities, said Yasuhiro Kato, chief of command and communications systems at the ministry's Joint Staff.
The Kirameki-3 orbits at an altitude of 36,000 kilometers. It was the first time to launch a geostationary satellite with the H3 rocket.
The X band is hardly affected by weather conditions and is excellent in high-speed and large-capacity communications. Images and videos can be transmitted smoothly, and it is expected to help ships and troop units share information quickly in times of conflict and disaster.
The Kirameki-1 and Kirameki-2 are already on orbit, and the addition of the Kirameki-3 will help to cover a wide area of SDF activities from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean.
The H3 rocket is a two-stage, liquid-propellant rocket developed by JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. A new liquid-propellant engine is used in the first stage to improve launch capabilities, while they aim to achieve a drastic cut in costs from the preceding H-2A rocket through a reduction in the number of parts and the active use of civilian parts.
The launch of the first H3 rocket failed due to a trouble with the second-stage engine in March last year. The second and third H3 rockets were successfully launched in February and July this year, respectively.
Mitsubishi Heavy hopes that the successful launches of the H3 rocket will help boost its commercial launch business.
Compared with an equatorial launch site used by Europe's Ariane 6 rocket, geostationary satellite launches from Tanegashima, which is located at a high latitude, have disadvantages such as consuming more satellite fuel.
JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy plan to examine data on the fourth H3 rocket after the Kirameki-3 satellite was separated in an effort to use the second-stage engine longer to reduce the burden on the satellite.
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