Japan's JAXA launched its eighth H3 rocket on December 22, 2025, from Tanegashima Space Center after a December 17 scrub, but a second-stage engine malfunction prevented deployment of the Michibiki No. 5 satellite. Contact was lost with the vehicle, and JAXA is assessing if the satellite is irretrievable.
The liftoff occurred at 10:51 a.m. from Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, marking the third attempt to orbit this satellite. While the initial ascent succeeded, the second-stage engine failed to ignite properly and shut down prematurely, leading to loss of all communications, as confirmed by JAXA officials: "We have lost all communications with the rocket."
Michibiki No. 5 is part of Japan's Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), aimed at high-precision positioning. This incident underscores persistent development challenges for the H3, successor to the H2A rocket designed for cost efficiency and reliability. JAXA has suspended live coverage and is investigating the cause to inform future missions.
