Japan delays next H-IIA launch, grounding all space rockets

Ongoing investigation into March H3 engine failure root of most recent setback

20230331N H3 rocket launch

Japan's H3 rocket, which launched in early March, self destructed after an engine failure. (Photo by Tomoki Mera)

RYOSUKE MATSUZOE, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- Japan's planned May launch of its large H-IIA rocket will be postponed until at least August, the country's space agency announced Friday.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said it canceled the H-IIA launch because the rocket shares many of the same components with the H3 rocket that failed to launch in March.

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