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Japan space agency awaits final H3 rocket certification for first launch

The H3 rocket at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture. (JAXA)
The H3 rocket at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture. (JAXA)
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07 Sep 2021 06:09:37 GMT9
07 Sep 2021 06:09:37 GMT9

Arab News Japan

Japan’s third liquid hydrogen powered rocket H3 developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and its prime contractor, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) reaches closer to it’s first launch as it awaits the final certification of the LE-9 engine.

The LE-9 engine will be the world’s first high-thrust engine to use liquid hydrogen and oxygen as propellants as well as include an engine that employs an expander bleed cycle.

In 2014, the H3 program began to replace the H-II rockets with the am  of reducing costs and improving reliability. In comparison to the previous rockets, the H3 will be approximately 5.2 meters in diameter and 64 meters in height, making it the largest rocket built by Japan, according to NASA Spaceflight.

The first hydrogen-powered rocket family used in Japan was the H-I rocket, which was then followed by the H-II, H-IIA and H-IIB rocket.

H3 was expected to take its first test flight in 2020 but the launch was deferred to 2021 due to a technical problem in the engine.

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