According to the press release JAXA
The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) recorded a failure of the launch of the H3 carrier rocket, which was meant to place the navigation satellite QZS-5 into orbit. The reason was a problem with the second-stage engine.
According to a JAXA press release, the morning of December 22, 2025 was marked by an attempt to launch the eighth Michibiki No. 5 mission from the Tanegashima Space Center. However, the second-stage engine failed and shut down prematurely.
“As a result, QZS-5 could not be placed into its planned orbit, and the launch failed”
– according to a JAXA statement
Timeline of events and consequences
Shortly before this, Japan had also faced difficulties during launches of its flagship H3 rocket. The H3 rocket, developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, first failed during a previous attempt in 2023, but later completed six successful flights.
Typically, such failed launches lead to lengthy investigations that can delay the development of the national space program and affect plans to upgrade the on-orbit navigation segment.
Additionally, it was previously on December 17 that the launch of the eighth rocket was canceled due to an anomaly detected in the water-cooling system at the launch site.
Such an event highlights the technical challenges facing Japan’s space program, but the country continues to work on improving the systems and preparing for future flights.
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