Japan has launched its H2A rocket for the final time, marking a shift to its next-generation H3 programme.
Japan’s flagship H2A rocket was launched for the 50th and final time early on Sunday, closing over two decades of reliable service and signalling a transition to the country’s new H3 launch system.
The launch took place at around 1:33 a.m. local time from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture. It carried the "Ibuki-GW" satellite, developed by Japan's Ministry of the Environment, the National Institute for Environmental Studies, and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The satellite will monitor greenhouse gases from space to support Japan’s environmental policies and international climate commitments.
Introduced in 2001, the H2A rocket has been central to Japan's space ambitions, deploying a range of satellites for communication, observation, and national security. Except for one failure in 2003, all other launches succeeded, showcasing the reliability and precision of Japan’s space engineering.
With H2A retired, Japan is turning its focus to the next-generation H3 rocket, designed to reduce launch costs and enhance competitiveness in the growing global space sector. The H3 will also support upcoming commercial satellite missions and Japan’s expanded goals for lunar exploration.
The shift to H3 is seen as a strategic move to maintain Japan’s presence in space technology while meeting demands for more affordable and frequent launches in a competitive market dominated by companies like SpaceX.
A top security official in Donald Trump’s administration has resigned, saying Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States...
Ilia II, the Catholicos-Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church who led the institution for more than four decades thro...
President Donald Trump said NATO is making a “very foolish mistake” by refusing to help the U.S. as Israel Katz claimed Ali Larijani wa...
Tensions between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have surged after the Taliban government accused Islamabad of carrying out an attack that killed m...
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday (17 March) announced that he is postponing a highly anticipated trip to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi...
New research suggests 40,000-year-old carved objects from south-western Germany bear repeated marks arranged in organised sign sequences similar to early proto-cuneiform, although they are not regarded as a form of writing.
Kazakhstan says it has allocated $2.2 million to strengthen scientific monitoring of the Caspian Sea amid growing concern over falling water levels, biodiversity loss and rising industrial pressure on the world’s largest inland body of water.
China’s internet user base has climbed to about 1.125 billion people, highlighting the country’s vast digital reach and creating fertile ground for the rapid spread of generative artificial intelligence across daily life, work and business.
Researchers in China said they have developed a “smart living glue” made from engineered gut bacteria that can detect internal bleeding and help repair intestinal damage, offering a targeted new approach to treating inflammatory bowel disease.
The other evening, I was fuelling my car at a petrol station in Kenya’s capital. It was one of those small moments most motorists barely notice. The attendant filled the tank, I glanced at the pump price, paid, and drove off.
President Donald Trump said NATO is making a “very foolish mistake” by refusing to help the U.S. as Israel Katz claimed Ali Larijani was killed in Israeli strikes.
Kazakhstan has adopted a new constitution that could allow President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to stay in power beyond 2029. The Central Election Commission confirmed that 87.15% of voters backed the constitution in a referendum held on Sunday (17 March).
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released $2m in emergency funding to support health responses in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria as escalating regional conflict strains hospitals, raises displacement and increases pressure on already fragile health systems.
Kouri Richins, a U.S. woman who penned a children’s book about bereavement after the death of her husband has been found guilty of killing him.
Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD is pushing to make charging an electric car almost as quick and convenient as filling up a traditional petrol vehicle - a move that could help remove one of the biggest barriers to wider electric vehicle adoption.
South Korea will soon cease to be one of the few countries where Google Maps does not function fully, after its security-conscious government reversed a two-decade-old policy and approved the export of high-precision map data to overseas servers.
New research suggests 40,000-year-old carved objects from south-western Germany bear repeated marks arranged in organised sign sequences similar to early proto-cuneiform, although they are not regarded as a form of writing.
The chief executive of Google DeepMind, Demis Hassabis, has called for more urgent research into the risks posed by artificial intelligence, warning that stronger safeguards are needed as systems become more advanced.
NASA successfully completed a critical fueling rehearsal on Thursday (19 February) for its giant moon rocket, Artemis II, after earlier hydrogen leaks disrupted preparations for the next crewed lunar mission. The launch is scheduled for 6 March, according to the latest information from NASA.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment