Japan space agency had to destroy its H3 rocket in its first launch

(JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構 / YouTube - Screenshot)

The first launch of the new Japanese rocket H3 ended in an accident due to the failure of the second stage engine.

The rocket, together with the ALOS 3 (Advanced Land Observing Satellite 3) satellite, was destroyed on command from the ground.

The H3 two-stage launch vehicle was created as a replacement for the Japanese H-IIA and H-IIB rockets currently in use.

H3 can be built in four configurations, which change the size of the head fairing, the number of sustainer engines and side solid boosters.

In its most powerful configuration, the H3 is capable of launching 6.5 tons into geostationary transfer orbit.

THE LAUNCH
The first launch of the H3 was postponed several times due to weather and once due to ignition problems in the side booster engines due to ground systems.

On March 7, 2023, H3 lifted off from a pad at the Tanegashima Space Center in a configuration with two side boosters and two first stage engines.

The payload was the Earth remote sensing satellite ALOS 3, which had to be launched into a sun-synchronous orbit with an altitude of 669 kilometers.

The initial phase of the flight, which includes the operation and separation of the side boosters and the first stage, was a success.

However, then the hydrogen-oxygen engine of the second stage LE-5B-3 did not start.

When the failure was confirmed, the rocket was given a command to self-destruct due to the inability to complete the mission of the flight.

Finally, rocket debris fell into the Pacific Ocean.

Sources:

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