The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, known as JAXA, has postponed the launch of its new flagship hydrogen powered H3 rocket due to weather conditions at the Tanegashima Space Center. This update comes from Associated Press reports.
The planned liftoff was scheduled for Thursday, February 15, at the southern archipelago site, but a brewing storm with strong winds led officials to pause the mission. A fresh launch date has not yet been announced as teams assess the weather window and readiness of ground systems.
JAXA aims to validate the H3 under conditions that test its performance in real world atmosphere after the difficult test last year, during which the prototype and the ALOS-3 Advanced Remote Sensing Satellite were destroyed under a self destruct protocol. This decision reflects a cautious approach focused on reliability and safety before committing to a full scale flight test.
For this upcoming flight, the H3 will carry a 2.6 ton mock up of the ALOS satellite to simulate mass distribution and aerodynamic behavior during ascent. In addition, the rocket will host two operational microsatellites, developed by Canon Electronics and Seiren, to evaluate small payload integration and release mechanisms in a near orbital environment.
The H3 represents the next generation after the H-2A, a project result governed by JAXA in collaboration with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, a major industrial partner. The overall program budget stood at approximately 1.5 billion dollars, reflecting both the scale of the mission and the ambition to advance Japan’s propulsion and space technology capabilities.
Investigations into the earlier launch revealed that the initial failure stemmed from an issue in the power supply system, prompting engineers to review all power management components, redundancy strategies, and ground support readiness. Lessons learned from that event continue to shape the testing plan for the H3, with emphasis on robust energy systems, fault-tolerant design, and comprehensive pre launch verification. This approach helps ensure that future attempts meet stringent safety and performance criteria while minimizing risk to ground facilities and the mission timeline.