H3 Rocket No. 9 Successfully Launches Japan GPS Satellite

Aug 11, 2026 | News On Japan

KAGOSHIMA - Japan's H3 Rocket No. 9 successfully placed the Michibiki No. 7 navigation satellite into its planned orbit after lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture at 4:23 a.m. on August 11, marking the country's second consecutive successful H3 launch.

The H3, Japan's mainstay launch vehicle, climbed into the dark sky from the space center on Tanegashima, with a bright orange glow visible during its ascent.

About 30 minutes after liftoff, the rocket successfully deployed Michibiki No. 7 into its designated orbit.

The satellite is part of Japan's satellite positioning system, often described as the country's version of GPS, and is intended to improve the accuracy of location information used by car navigation systems, smartphones and other devices.

The H3 program suffered a launch failure in December 2025 after a problem developed with the structure used to mount the satellite on the rocket.

The latest mission follows another successful H3 launch in June 2026, giving the rocket two consecutive successful missions.

Source: TBS

Typhoon No. 15 Set to Make Landfall in Kanto Tonight

Typhoon No. 15 (Chan-hom) is expected to make landfall near Ibaraki Prefecture between around 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. on August 11, bringing rapidly strengthening winds, high waves and heavy rain to parts of Kanto and southern Tohoku, with unsettled weather potentially continuing even after the storm moves inland.

H3 Rocket No. 9 Successfully Launches Japan GPS Satellite

Japan's H3 Rocket No. 9 successfully placed the Michibiki No. 7 navigation satellite into its planned orbit after lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture at 4:23 a.m. on August 11, marking the country's second consecutive successful H3 launch.

Tokaido Shinkansen Runs First Overnight Service

The Tokaido Shinkansen operated its first overnight service ahead of the Obon holiday period, offering travelers a 15,000 yen trip from the Tokyo area to Kyoto and Shin-Osaka while allowing them to save on hotel costs and arrive earlier than the first regular morning trains.

Typhoon No. 15 to Disrupt Travel on August 11

Typhoon No. 15 is expected to approach and likely make landfall somewhere in the Kanto region on August 11, bringing strong winds and heavy rain that could disrupt conventional rail services, expressways and flights while also affecting a wider area extending into Tohoku.

Raccoon Damage Surges Across Japan

Raccoons are increasingly invading homes across Japan, damaging roofs and wiring, contaminating buildings with large amounts of urine and feces, and raising concerns over agriculture, native wildlife and the spread of disease as their population continues to expand.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Sci-Tech NEWS

Instant Houses Installed in Kumamoto Disaster Area

Requests for rapidly constructed "instant houses" are growing across areas of Kumamoto Prefecture devastated by the recent earthquake, providing air-conditioned temporary shelter for residents who have been sleeping in tents and vehicles beside their damaged homes.

Students Design Future Lunar City in Minecraft Using JAXA Materials

University students in Shizuoka have designed a future lunar city using the globally popular game Minecraft and educational materials supervised by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, combining programming and spatial design to explore how people could live safely and sustainably on the moon.

Toyota Futuristic City Begins Recruiting Residents

Toyota Motor has begun recruiting residents of Shizuoka Prefecture to live in Woven City, its experimental community for developing future technologies, with about 25 households expected to move into the site for two years from March 2027.

Osaka Researcher Seeks to Make Sugar From Air

A 29-year-old Osaka University researcher is developing technology to produce sugar from carbon dioxide in the air, seeking to create a faster and more sustainable source of livestock feed as population growth, extreme weather and poor harvests raise fears of future food shortages.

Kego Fault Zone Also Faces Unruptured Segment Risk

The Kego Fault Zone running through central Fukuoka could produce an earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of 7, leaving 1,800 people dead, 800 disaster-related deaths and 319,000 evacuees, according to prefectural damage estimates, as experts warn that an unruptured section may remain under stress.

Kumamoto Quake Shares Same Mechanism as 2016 Disaster, Expert Says

The powerful earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture on July 28 was caused by essentially the same mechanism as the devastating earthquakes that hit the region 10 years ago, according to a leading seismologist, who warned residents to prepare for strong aftershocks and take precautions against heatstroke even during the night.

Japan Confirms Rare Earths in Deep-Sea Mud

Multiple rare earth elements essential for high-tech products have been confirmed in mud extracted from the deep seabed off Minamitorishima, Japan's easternmost island.

The Truth About Fake USB Drives Circulating Online

Low-cost USB drives advertised online with enormous storage capacities are exposing users to the risk of lost data, malware infections and information theft, with tests finding that some products contain only a fraction of the memory shown on their labels.

< 2 3 4 5 >