The H3 rocket, which JAXA touts as flexible and cost-effective, "has entered orbit," an official from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) told AFP.
Cheers and applause could be heard from JAXA's control center after the agency's livestream announced that the rocket's engine had successfully ignited, meaning it had entered orbit.
Japan's H3 rocket lifts off from the launch pad at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima, Japan, on February 17.
The H3 rocket carried two small satellites, including a microsatellite that is expected to help prevent disasters by taking photos and videos.
The remaining satellite is equipped with infrared sensors to detect the operating conditions of plants on the ground.
"Three is not enough": Japan's H3 rocket successfully launches on third attempt
The separation of the two satellites has also been confirmed, according to JAXA's livestream. "We will continue to analyze the sequence after successfully putting the rocket into orbit," JAXA officials added.
The most recent launch was postponed from February 13 due to bad weather, following two failed launches in 2023.
Japan's H3 rocket prepares to enter orbit
Specifically, on March 7, 2023, JAXA failed to launch the H3 rocket. Accordingly, the rocket had to self-destruct after the command center concluded that the mission could not succeed. The first attempt to launch the H3 in February 2023 failed when the solid-fuel rocket failed to ignite. After those failures, the H3's ignition system was improved.
Developed by JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the H3 is the successor to the H-IIA launch system, launched in 2001.
The H3 rocket is being developed for frequent commercial launches with better cost efficiency and reliability. It has been considered a potential competitor to the Falcon 9 rocket of the US company Space X.
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