Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) announced on Sunday the launch of H-IIA Vehicle No. 50 (H-IIA F50) from the Tanegashima Space Center in western Japan.

The rocket was carrying the GOSAT-GW satellite produced by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and was sent skyward at 1:33:03 am on Sunday morning.

MIH reported that H-IIA F50’s flight proceeded nominally, and GOSAT-GW separated approximately 16 minutes 7 seconds after launch, as planned.

GOSAT-GW is the “Global Observing SATellite for Greenhouse gases and Water cycle Reference.”

Japan is looking to boost its space program and last year established the Space Strategy Fund offering multi-year funding to businesses and universities developing space technologies. The funding program aims to allocate a total of 1 trillion yen ($6.36 billion) to support private-sector space development.