On the second H3 launch attempt by Japan's space agency, technical problems meant a destruct command was issued shortly after blast-off (STR) <\/p>\n
Japan's space agency will try to launch its new flagship rocket on Saturday, hoping for third time lucky following years of delays and two aborted attempts. <\/p>\n
The next-generation H3 rocket has been mooted as a possible competitor to Space X's Falcon 9, and could one day be used to deliver cargo to bases on the Moon. <\/p>\n
But that's only if Japan -- which last month landed an unmanned probe on the Moon at a wonky angle -- can get it into orbit. <\/p>\n
The first H3 launch a year ago was abandoned after ignition issues left the rocket standing motionless on the ground. <\/p>\n
And on the second try in March, technical problems meant a destruct command was issued shortly after blast-off. <\/p>\n
Designed for \"high flexibility, high reliability, and high cost performance\", the H3 will \"maintain Japan's autonomous access to space\", space agency JAXA says. <\/p>\n
The rocket, billed as a flexible and cost-effective new flagship, is scheduled to lift off between 9:22 am and 1:06 pm (0022 and 0406 GMT) from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan. <\/p>\n
Co-developed with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and intended for more frequent commercial launches, it is the successor to the country's H-IIA model, which debuted in 2001. <\/p>\n
H3 will be \"an all-rounder -- able to launch satellites into Earth orbit, serve as a supply vehicle for space stations, and go to the Moon,\" said associate professor Alice Gorman, a space exploration expert at Flinders University. <\/p>\n
But \"there's a common saying that 'space is hard', to explain why launch failures are a fact of life,\" she told AFP, comparing the attempts to \"training for a marathon\". <\/p>\n
A successful launch on Saturday would bolster JAXA's reputation after a string of failures, including of a different rocket, a solid-fuel model called the Epsilon-6. <\/p>\n
- 'Greater thrust' - <\/p>\n
Last month the country made a historic soft lunar touchdown with its SLIM spacecraft, dubbed the \"Moon Sniper\" for its precision technology. <\/p>\n
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But the SLIM landed with its solar panels facing the wrong way, meaning it could only be used when the sun's angle changed direction. <\/p>\n
Overall, Japan's space programme punches above its weight, said Adrian Michael Cruise, an honorary professor of astrophysics at the University of Birmingham. <\/p>\n
The country \"has future ambitions for space exploration challenging some of the major players,\" he said. <\/p>\n
\"However, space payloads are getting heavier and heavier, and to remain competitive in the missions it can mount, Japan needs access to more powerful launch vehicles, like H3.\" <\/p>\n
The rocket's development could potentially also have \"military-related uses\", Cruise added. <\/p>\n
While the main goal of Saturday's mission is to prove the rocket can get into orbit, it will also carry two small observation satellites. <\/p>\n
One is expected to contribute to disaster prevention by taking pictures and video footage. The other, equipped with a sensor to detect infrared rays, is aimed at detecting the operation conditions of factories on the ground. <\/p>\n
Unlike the reusable Falcon 9, the H3 is expendable, but scientists say the trial of its world-first technology is significant. <\/p>\n
\"The H3 rocket has a unique and novel first stage engine that delivers greater thrust compared to state-of-the-art rockets,\" said Michele Trenti, director of the Melbourne Space Laboratory at the University of Melbourne. <\/p>\n
And the H3 \"has the potential to be the most cost-effective rocket\", making the exploration of the solar system more affordable. <\/p>\n
kaf-kh\/sn <\/p>\n
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Japan makes third attempt to launch next-gen rocket - Yahoo Singapore News<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" On the second H3 launch attempt by Japan's space agency, technical problems meant a destruct command was issued shortly after blast-off (STR) Japan's space agency will try to launch its new flagship rocket on Saturday, hoping for third time lucky following years of delays and two aborted attempts. Continue reading