Japan’s space agency on Monday postponed the launch of its “Moon Sniper” lunar mission for the third time due to poor weather. The H2-A rocket was due to blast off from the southern island of Tanegashima and was also carrying a research satellite developed with NASA and the European Space Agency. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has yet to give a new date for the start of the mission, which is aimed at putting Japan’s first lunar probe into orbit.
JAXA hopes to put the lunar probe, called the Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon, or SLIM, into orbit in January or February 2024. It would then attempt to land the craft in Shioli Crater, inside Mare Nectaris. SLIM is designed to get within 100 meters of a specific target on the Moon, which is far more precise than previous lunar landing attempts by other nations.
It is a significant test for JAXA, which wants to establish itself as an international leader in the field of lunar exploration. The firm partners in the international Artemis partnership with dozens of countries seeking to achieve human lunar landings by 2025. The firm has already suffered some setbacks in recent years, including the failure of its next-generation H3 rocket on its debut in March and a crash by its typically dependable Epsilon small rocket in October last year.
To avoid further delays, JAXA on Monday said it is developing a more flexible version of the H2-A rocket that can be offered in several different configurations depending on what it has to lift into orbit. The firm aims to start launching the new rocket, named the H3, six times or so annually over the long term. The firm hopes to use the launch capability to support its satellite manufacturing business, a crucial part of its aerospace division.
The H3 is expected to have a wide range of configurations, from lightweight versions for commercial satellites to more powerful rockets capable of lifting large satellites into orbit. Its design is based on the same technologies as JAXA’s existing H-2 rocket family but emphasizes flexibility and cost more.
JAXA has been working on the H3 for a decade, and it has been touted as an alternative to more expensive American and Russian rockets that offer less frequent launch opportunities. The firm has pushed to make the rocket available for commercial and government satellites, which could help it compete with rivals in the fast-growing market for microsatellites. The company is also seeking to create a “sustainable operational world” in which regular launches of the H3 can underpin Japan’s industrial base, Reuters notes. JAXA aims to offer launch services for about 60 percent of the world’s microsatellites by 2025, and it is looking to build up its capabilities to meet those requirements.
