Final H-2A Rocket to Be Launched on June 24

Tokyo (Jiji Press — The 50th and final H-2A rocket will be launched on June 24 from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, it was learned Wednesday.

After the launch, the H-2A rocket series will be retired and replaced by the H3 series.

The first H-2A two-stage, liquid-fueled rocket was launched in 2001. The series has a success rate of about 98 percent. Of the 49 H-2A rockets to date, only the sixth failed in 2003.

The H-2A rockets have carried many satellites and space probes, including the Himawari weather satellites and the Hayabusa2 asteroid probe.

The 50th rocket was originally scheduled to be launched last year, but was postponed due to delays in the development of the GOSAT-GW greenhouse gas and water cycle observation satellite to be carried by the rocket.

Meanwhile, the first H3 rocket was successfully launched in February last year. Developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., the H3 series aims to reduce costs while improving capabilities.