Overview

• The prototype 6.3-meter rocket reached 271 meters before landing within 37 centimeters of its target after a 56.6-second flight.
• The test demonstrated controlled ascent and descent stability and propulsive landing capabilities essential for reusable launch vehicles.
• Honda R&D has conducted engine combustion and hovering trials since 2024 at its space town facility in Taiki Town, Hokkaido.
• The company will continue fundamental research on reusable rocket technology with a goal of enabling a suborbital launch by 2029, though commercialization plans remain undecided.
• Japan’s multibillion-dollar space venture fund is subsidizing private rockets and satellites, spurring expansion by Honda, Toyota and other domestic firms.