Japan's H2A Rocket Concludes Historic Final Mission

(MENAFN) Japan's H2A rocket successfully completed its 50th and final mission early Sunday morning, marking the conclusion of over 20 years of service in space exploration.

The launch occurred as planned at 1:33 a.m. local time from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture.

The final mission saw the deployment of the "Ibuki-GW" satellite, designed by Japan's Ministry of the Environment, the National Institute for Environmental Studies, and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The satellite's purpose is to monitor greenhouse gas emissions from space.

Since its inaugural launch in 2001, the H2A rocket has been instrumental in Japan's space ambitions, successfully deploying numerous satellites. With just one failure in 2003, the rocket's track record was nearly flawless.

As Japan bids farewell to the H2A, the nation now looks ahead to its next-generation H3 rocket, which promises to cut costs and boost Japan's competitiveness in the global space industry.

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