Key Points:
- JAXA’s H2-A rocket is scheduled for a moon-bound launch from Tanegashima Space Center.
- The rocket carries an imaging satellite and a lightweight lander slated to land on the moon early next year.
- Past year marked by several launch setbacks, adding pressure on JAXA for a successful mission.
- JAXA’s challenges include the H3 rocket malfunction and research data discrepancies.
- Despite setbacks, JAXA continues to support space startups and anticipates rectifying past mistakes.
Asia-Pacific, Today: The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) stands at a pivotal juncture as it gears up for its upcoming lunar mission amidst a backdrop of recent setbacks. Scheduled to depart from the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan, JAXA’s reliable H2-A rocket carries both an advanced imaging satellite and a compact lander designed to touch the lunar surface in the early months of next year.
The success of this venture could prove instrumental for JAXA in mending its bruised image, especially following a tumultuous year marred by launch failures. Such setbacks disrupted the debut of a next-gen rocket and halted JAXA’s maiden attempt to dispatch commercial satellites into orbit.
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Professor Jiro Kasahara of Nagoya University’s Department of Aerospace Engineering encapsulates the weight of the current mission, emphasizing the importance of mastering celestial landings. He commented, “Given the stakes and past experiences, Japan essentially has only one shot at this mission.”
JAXA’s trials commenced in October of the preceding year, when the launch of its Epsilon rocket was terminated midway. This incident was the first significant rocket mishap Japan experienced since 2003. Further blows came in the form of falsified research data and the delay in the inaugural launch of the H3 rocket due to a system glitch.
However, the most dramatic of these setbacks occurred in early March when the H3 rocket’s engine failed to ignite, prompting a self-destruction command. The craft and its satellite subsequently plunged into the Philippine Sea.
JAXA’s director, Hiroshi Yamakawa, post these events, highlighted the organization’s commitment to rectifying these blunders. The cause of the H3 rocket’s failure has been narrowed down, offering a hopeful outlook for its next scheduled launch in March 2024.
Shinichi Kimura, from the Tokyo University of Science, believes that past successes might have inadvertently led to oversight. However, he also sees the upcoming launch as a silver lining and an opportunity for JAXA to harness lessons learned from past setbacks.
Despite the challenges, JAXA remains steadfast in supporting space startups. Earlier this year, the agency announced its investment in Space Walker Inc., a private-sector rocket firm. Additionally, another company, Ispace Inc., aims to recover from its lunar mission misstep with a planned launch in 2024.
On Sunday, if JAXA’s H2-A rocket takes off as planned, it will transport the Small Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), a potential game-changer for future probes given its high navigational accuracy. Accompanying SLIM is the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) satellite, designed to aid scientists in observing interstellar plasmas.
