H3

JAXA / Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Japan's next-generation flagship rocket, built for affordability and high cadence.

The H3 is Japan's main heavy-lift launch vehicle, designed by JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to replace the H-IIA. After a high-profile failure on its maiden flight in 2023, H3 returned to flight successfully in 2024 and has launched a series of government and commercial payloads.

Fun facts

H3's LE-9 engine is one of the largest mass-produced liquid hydrogen engines in the world.

H3's first flight in 2023 ended in the rocket's destruction due to a second-stage failure.

H3 is designed to replace H-IIA and cut the cost of launching Japanese satellites by more than 50%.

Height

63 m

Diameter

5.2 m

Mass

574 t

Stages

Thrust