Overview

• On June 28, the H-2A lifted off from Tanegashima Space Center carrying the GOSAT-GW satellite in its 50th and final flight
• GOSAT-GW is tasked with monitoring carbon, methane and the global water cycle and is expected to begin delivering data in about one year
• Multiple days of electrical-system malfunctions delayed the final mission before a successful liftoff on Sunday
• Since its 2001 debut, H-2A achieved a near-perfect reliability record while deploying key payloads such as the SLIM lunar lander and Hayabusa2 probe
• JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will now rely on the larger H3 rocket to halve launch costs and strengthen Japan’s competitiveness in the global satellite market