Eighth H3 rocket second-stage failure during December 22 launch

December 21, 2025

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Following a launch scrub on December 17, Japan's JAXA launched its eighth H3 rocket on December 22, 2025, from Tanegashima Space Center, but suspended the live broadcast after the second-stage engine shut down prematurely. The rocket carries the Cabinet Office's Michibiki No. 5 satellite for Japan's Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS).

JAXA's eighth H3 rocket lifted off from Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture on the morning of December 22, 2025, after a prior scrub on December 17. The payload is the Cabinet Office's Michibiki No. 5 satellite, enhancing Japan's QZSS for precise global positioning.

The mission proceeded initially but encountered an issue when the second-stage engine ceased combustion earlier than planned. JAXA halted the live broadcast and is assessing the anomaly, with investigations underway.

As successor to the H2A, the H3 aims for lower costs and higher reliability but has faced setbacks, including this incident. Further updates are expected soon, amid ongoing questions about the program's dependability.

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