In a nice surprise, Japan’s second-biggest carmaker Honda efficiently examined an experimental reusable rocket, the corporate mentioned, because it seeks to develop into the area sector.
Honda, which hopes to develop the tech prowess for a suborbital launch by 2029, performed a check flight of its rocket on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.
While “no decisions have been made regarding commercialisation of these rocket technologies, Honda will continue making progress in the fundamental research with a technology development goal of realising technological capability to enable a suborbital launch by 2029,” it mentioned in an announcement.
“The test was completed successfully, the first time Honda landed a rocket after reaching an altitude of nearly 300 meters,” the assertion dated June 17 added.
Honda R&D, the analysis arm of Japan’s second-biggest carmaker, efficiently landed its 6.3-metre-tall experimental reusable launch automobile after reaching an altitude of 271 metres at its check facility in northern Japan’s area city Taiki, based on the corporate. The automobile landed solely 37 cm away from its designated touchdown spot after the minute-long flight.
Demand for satellite tv for pc launch rockets is anticipated to extend within the coming years as expectations develop for “a data system in outer space”, the Honda assertion mentioned.
“Honda has chosen to take on the technological challenge of developing reusable rockets by utilising Honda technologies amassed in the development of various products and automated driving systems,” it added.
In future, the rockets may very well be used to arrange satellite-based communication instruments and to watch environmental situations resembling world warming, Honda added.
Reusable launch autos have been the motive force of rising business area missions over the previous decade, led by Falcon 9, owned and operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The firm’s U.S. rivals, together with Blue Origin and firms in China and Europe, even have reusable rocket plans.
The Indian Space Research Organisation can be engaged on a Reusable Launch Vehicle, though it’s nonetheless present process exams and there’s no fastened launch date in sight.
Honda in 2021 had mentioned it was finding out area applied sciences resembling reusable rockets, but it surely had not beforehand introduced the main points of a launch check. A suborbital launch might contact the verge of outer area however doesn’t enter orbit.
Studying launch autos “has the potential to contribute more to people’s daily lives by launching satellites with its own rockets, that could lead to various services that are also compatible with other Honda business,” the corporate added.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) can be on a mission to grow to be a significant participant for satellite tv for pc launches, together with with its H3 rocket, which isn’t reusable.
Meanwhile Japanese startups are vying to enter the busy subject, together with Space One, which in December 2024 suffered its second failed rocket launch.
For instance, Tokyo-based Innovative Space Carrier final month mentioned it is going to test-launch a prototype reusable rocket within the United States in December utilizing an American engine.
Published – June 18, 2025 03:44 pm IST
