In a development reported by Chinese state media Xinhua, the postponed lift-off of an H2A rocket carrying the Japanese space agency’s lunar lander has been rescheduled for Thursday, following a week-long delay. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the rocket manufacturer, confirmed the new launch date.
The domestically made rocket is now scheduled to take off at approximately 8:42 a.m. local time on Thursday from the Tanegashima Space Center, located on Tanegashima Island in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima.
The delay that led to the rescheduling was caused by strong winds, a decision that was made just 30 minutes before the originally planned lift-off. This mission is designed to test advanced technology for precise landings on the moon. The rocket will carry the SLIM lunar lander developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). It is expected that the SLIM lunar lander will enter the Moon’s orbit approximately three to four months after launch, with the goal of reaching the lunar surface within four to six months.
Japan’s space exploration efforts have faced several setbacks this year, including the failure of the country’s first attempt to launch the H3 rocket, which is intended to replace the H2A rocket. This rescheduled mission is a crucial step in Japan’s ongoing efforts to explore and advance its capabilities in space exploration.
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