Japan launches climate satellite on H-2A's final flight

The H-2A rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan, carrying the GOSAT-GW satellite as part of the country’s efforts to tackle climate change. About 16 minutes after liftoff, the satellite was safely separated from the rocket and released into its planned orbit.

Scientists and space officials at the control room exchanged hugs and handshakes to celebrate the successful mission, which had been delayed for several days due to an electrical system malfunction on the rocket.

Keiji Suzuki, a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries official overseeing rocket launch operations, expressed relief following the mission’s success. “I've spent my entire life at work not to drop H-2A rocket ... All I can say is I'm so relieved,” he said.

Sunday’s mission marked the 50th and final flight for the H-2A, which has been Japan’s primary rocket for launching satellites and probes into space since its debut in 2001. The rocket, with a near-perfect record, will now be fully replaced by the H3 rocket, which is already operational.

“It is a deeply emotional moment for all of us at JAXA as a developer,” Hiroshi Yamakawa, president of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), told a news conference.

The GOSAT-GW, or Global Observing Satellite for Greenhouse gases and water cycle, is the third satellite in Japan’s mission to monitor greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide and methane.

Within a year, it will begin providing high-resolution global data on sea surface temperatures, precipitation, and other climate indicators to users worldwide, including the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, officials said.

The H-2A, a liquid-fuel rocket with two solid-fuel sub-rockets, was developed by JAXA and has been operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries since 2007. With 49 flights and a 98% success rate, the H-2A experienced only one failure in 2003.

The rocket has been instrumental in advancing Japan’s space ambitions, successfully carrying into space numerous satellites and probes, including Japan’s SLIM moon lander last year, and the Hayabusa2 spacecraft in 2014, which reached a distant asteroid.

Suzuki said the completion of the H-2A program would allow more resources to be directed toward the further development of the H3 rocket.

Japan considers reliable, commercially competitive space transport capabilities essential to its national security and space program. It has been developing two new flagship rockets to replace the H-2A series — the larger H3 in partnership with Mitsubishi, and the smaller Epsilon rocket developed by the aerospace unit of heavy machinery maker IHI.

The goal is to meet diverse customer needs and strengthen Japan’s position in the expanding global satellite launch market.

The H3 is designed to carry larger payloads than the H-2A at approximately half the launch cost, making it more competitive internationally. However, officials acknowledge that additional efforts to reduce costs are necessary to further improve Japan’s standing in the global space sector.

Following a failed debut in 2023, when the rocket and its payload had to be destroyed, the H3 has since completed four consecutive successful flights, reports UNB.