H3 Rocket No. 5 Successfully Launches, Japan’s GPS Satellite Enters Orbit | WPN World People News

Japan’s H3 New Launch Vehicle No. 5 lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture at 5:30 PM local time on February 2 (4:30 PM Taipei time) and successfully delivered the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) No. 6 satellite into its designated orbit.

According to foreign media reports, nearly 30 minutes after liftoff, the H3 Launch Vehicle No. 5 successfully placed the QZSS No. 6 satellite into its designated orbit approximately 36,000 kilometers above Earth. The QZSS satellites, often referred to as the "Japanese version of GPS," function as positioning satellites with capabilities similar to GPS. Currently, QZSS satellites No. 1 through No. 4 are already in operation. The system is expected to expand to a total of seven satellites, allowing Japan to rely on its own satellites for positioning services without the need for foreign satellite systems.

The report also noted that the launch was originally scheduled for February 1 but was postponed to February 2 due to unfavorable weather conditions. The H3 Launch Vehicle was jointly developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and is Japan’s next-generation flagship medium-lift launch vehicle, designed to replace the H-2A rocket, which has been in service for over 20 years. Although the first H3 launch vehicle failed in March 2023, the subsequent No. 2 through No. 5 vehicles have all successfully launched, marking four consecutive successful missions.