H3 Rocket Launch Halted Seconds Before Liftoff

Dec 18, 2025 | News On Japan

KAGOSHIMA, Dec 18, 2025 (News On Japan) - The launch of Japan’s H3 Rocket No. 8 was aborted just seconds before liftoff on December 17th at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture after an abnormality was detected in ground equipment, prompting an automatic halt to the countdown 17 seconds before launch.

The rocket had been scheduled to lift off at 11:11 a.m., carrying a Japanese GPS satellite designed to improve positioning accuracy for smartphones and other devices, but the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said it decided to cancel the launch immediately after confirming a problem with launch-related facilities.

Following the cancellation, the rocket was moved back from the launch pad to the assembly building, where engineers will conduct a detailed investigation to determine the cause of the malfunction, according to JAXA.

Source: TBS

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