Japan is studying a reusable rocket, but it wont fly before 2030

Published

2 years ago

October 6, 2023

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Still early days — Japan is studying a reusable rocket, but it wont fly before 2030 This launcher would replace the H3 rocket, which hasn’t yet become operational.

Stephen Clark – Oct 5, 2023 12:13 am UTC Enlarge / Japan’s first H3 rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center on a failed test flight in March.Photo by STR/JIJI Press/AFP via Getty Images reader comments 31 with

Japan debuted the new flagship H3 rocket in March, capping a decade-long, nearly $1.5 billion development effort to replace a launch vehicle that has been in service for more than 20 years. The H3’s upper stage failed to ignite a few minutes after liftoff, causing the rocket and its Earth observation payload to crash into the Pacific Ocean.

Officials in the Japanese government are already plotting the replacement for the H3 rocket, which had a goal of cutting in half the cost per launch of the H-2A launcher, a workhorse for Japan’s space program. But the H3 is based on a single-use, expendable design, like nearly all legacy rockets. The H3 design aims to achieve these cost savings through modernized manufacturing techniques and commonality in hardware with Japan’s smaller Epsilon rocket family.

The Japanese government updated its basic plan on space policy in June with language endorsing the development of a reusable rocket to follow the H3. Now, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has tapped Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for joint studies on the next-generation launcher, which would have a recoverable and reusable first-stage booster, Space News reported this week.

There’s no design yet for this still-unnamed rocket. A JAXA spokesperson told Space News that engineers haven’t settled on a fuel. It could be cryogenic methane, the fuel favored by most companies developing new reusable launch rockets, or Japan could stick with liquid hydrogen, the super-cold fuel used on the H-2A and H3 rockets. Advertisement

The space policy document released by Japan’s Cabinet Office in June outlined several key technologies necessary for the country’s next-generation rocket. Those included rocket reuse tech, innovative materials, methane-fueled propulsion, and modernized production capabilities. Japanese policymakers wrote the new rocket, replacing the H3, would start flying in the 2030s.

“By reusing parts … we will improve launch frequency and transportation capacity, and reduce launch costs,” Japanese government officials wrote in the policy plan.

SpaceX’s demonstration of the benefits of reusable rockets has inspired others to pursue similar capabilities. Rocket Lab, the US-New Zealand company that operates the light-class Electron launcher for small satellites, has successfully recovered boosters and recently reused an engine from a previous flight. In the coming months, Rocket Lab plans to reuse an entire set of nine booster engines on a launch. The company is developing a new rocket named Neutron with a booster stage designed from the start to be entirely reusable.

Blue Origin and several other companies also may be a few years away from reusing boosters on their orbital-class rockets. United Launch Alliance’s new Vulcan rocket is powered by Blue Origin-built BE-4 engines. ULA plans to eventually recover the engines and reuse them but doesn’t plan to retrieve the entire first stage of the Vulcan rocket.

Other rocket builders, like Europe’s ArianeGroup, went all-in with a new expendable rocket, similar to Japan’s approach with the H3. Europe’s expendable Ariane 6 rocket won’t fly until next year, at the earliest. The European Space Agency and European industrial partners are in the early stages of designing a reusable methane-fueled engine that could lead, in the longer term, to a reusable replacement for the Ariane 6. But like Japan’s new reusable rocket study, a follow-on to the Ariane 6 would likely not fly until 2030 or later. Page: 1 2 Next → reader comments 31 with Stephen Clark Stephen Clark is a space reporter at Ars Technica, covering private space companies and the worlds space agencies. Stephen writes about the nexus of technology, science, policy, and business on and off the planet. Advertisement Channel Ars Technica ← Previous story Related Stories Today on Ars

Politics

Millionaire former Tory donor defects to Reform

Published

20 mins ago

December 6, 2025

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Millionaire former Tory donor defects to Reform

Millionaire Tory donor Malcolm Offord has defected to Reform UK, saying he would be campaigning “tirelessly” to “remove this rotten SNP government”.

Nigel Farage announced the former Conservative life peer’s defection during a rally in the Scottish town of Falkirk, where regular anti-immigration protests have taken place outside the Cladhan Hotel – which is being used to house asylum seekers.

Mr Farage, Reform UK’s leader, said he was “delighted” to welcome Greenock-born Lord Offord to Reform, describing his defection as “a brave and historic act”.

He added: “He will take Reform UK Scotland to a new level.”

During a speech, Lord Offord, who previously donated nearly £150,000 to the Tories, said he would be quitting the Conservative Party and giving up his place in the House of Lords as he prepares to campaign for a seat in Holyrood in May.

The 61-year-old said he wanted to restore Scotland to a “prosperous, happy, healthy country”.

“Scotland needs Reform and Reform is coming to Scotland,” he told the rally.

“Today I can announce that I am resigning from the Conservative Party. Today I am joining Reform UK and today I announce my intention to stand for Reform in the Holyrood election in May next year.

“And that means that from today, for the next five months, day and night, I shall be campaigning with all of you tirelessly for two objectives.

“The first objective is to remove this rotten SNP government after 18 years, and the second is to present a positive vision for Scotland inside the UK, to restore Scotland to being a prosperous, proud, healthy and happy country.”

The latest defection comes as Mr Farage finds himself at the centre of allegations of racism dating back to his time in school.

Sky News reported on Saturday that a former schoolfriend of Mr Farage claimed he sang antisemitic songs to Jewish schoolmates – and had a “big issue with anyone called Patel”.

Jean-Pierre Lihou, 61, was initially friends with the Reform UK leader when he arrived at Dulwich College in the 1970s, at the time when Mr Farage is accused of saying antisemitic and other racist remarks by more than a dozen pupils.

Mr Farage has said he “never directly racially abused anybody” at Dulwich and said there is a “strong political element” to the allegations coming out 49 years later.

Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice has called the ex-classmates “liars”.

A Reform UK spokesman accused Sky News of “scraping the barrel” and being “desperate to stop us winning the next election”.

World

Paramilitary drone attack in southern Sudan kills at least 50 people, including 33 children

Published

20 mins ago

December 6, 2025

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Paramilitary drone attack in southern Sudan kills at least 50 people, including 33 children

At least 50 people, including 33 children, have been killed in southern Sudan after a drone attack by paramilitary forces hit a nursery in South Kordofan state.

Sudan Doctors’ Network says paramedics on the scene in the town of Kalogi were also targeted by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in a “second unexpected attack”.

Rights group Emergency Lawyers reported a “third civilian site” near the previous two attacks was also targeted.

The death toll is expected to be higher, but communication blackouts have made it difficult to confirm the full number of casualties.

Emergency Lawyers says the strikes are a “flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians, especially children, and vital civilian infrastructure.”

UNICEF has urged both parties to stop the attacks immediately and allow safe access for humanitarian aid.

“Killing children in their school is a horrific violation of children’s rights,” said UNICEF representative for Sudan Sheldon Yett.

“Children should never pay the price of conflict.”

The attack on the nursery is among the latest in the two-year conflict between the RSF and Sudan’s military, where the focus has recently shifted to the oil-rich Kordofan states.

Hundreds of civilians have been killed in the last few weeks as fighting shifted from Darfur, following the RSF’s violent takeover of the city of Al Fashir, which was marked with civilians being executed, rapes, sexual assaults and other atrocities.

Thousands managed to escape the violence, but thousands more are trapped or feared killed.

Meanwhile, Sudanese military aerial strikes last weekend killed at least 48 people, mostly civilians, in South Kordofan.

The RSF has also accused the military of carrying out a drone strike on the border with Chad, posting a video showing billowing black smoke.

The Associated Press has been unable to verify the video or whether there were any casualties, while Sudan’s military also hasn’t commented.

The RSF and the Sudanese military have been fighting for power over the country since 2023, which has seen more than 40,000 people killed, according to the World Health Organisation, although the real death toll is expected to be higher. 12 million people have been displaced.

UK

England and Scotland fans discover where their opening World Cup games will be played

Published

20 mins ago

December 6, 2025

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England and Scotland fans discover where their opening World Cup games will be played

England and Scotland fans have found out where their World Cup group games will be played when the tournament kicks off in June.

England, who are in Group L, will begin their tournament against Croatia in Dallas at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 17 June. They will then go on to face Ghana in Boston at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 23 June and Panama in New Jersey, New York, at 5pm EST (10pm BST) on 27 June.

Scotland are in Group C, and their first match will be against Haiti in Boston at 9pm EST on 13 June (2am GMT the following morning).

They will go up against Morocco also in Boston at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 19 June and then Brazil in Miami at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 24 June.

Fans are expected to rush to sort their travel and accommodation plans now that they know where and when the matches take place.

Wales and Northern Ireland have yet to find out if they will qualify.

Wales must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.

If they beat these play-off opponents, they will secure their place in Group B alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.

However, Northern Ireland will also be vying to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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