Overview
- The H3 lifted off from Tanegashima on Dec. 22 but its second-stage engine’s second ignition shut down prematurely, preventing insertion of the QZS‑5 satellite into its planned geosynchronous transfer orbit.
- It remains unclear whether the satellite separated from the vehicle as the U.S. Space Force tracked an object in a roughly 109×441 kilometer orbit expected to reenter within a few orbits.
- Project manager Makoto Arita said no further H3 liftoffs will proceed until the cause is identified and preventive measures are in place, and officials issued public apologies.
- Loss of Michibiki 5 delays Japan’s plan to reach a seven-satellite Quasi‑Zenith Satellite System by March 2026 that augments GPS for higher-accuracy services across Japan and nearby regions.
- The setback is H3’s second second‑stage failure since its 2023 debut after several successful flights, raising schedule risks for planned missions including another QZSS satellite and HTV‑X, with broader implications for Japan’s launch reliability.