H3-22 | VEP 4, CE-SAT-1E & TIRSAT launch

Mitsubishi Heavy IndustriesLaunch SuccessfulTest Flight

VEP 4, CE‑SAT‑1E & TIRSAT

Name: H3-22 | VEP 4, CE-SAT-1E & TIRSAT
Start: 2024-02-17T00:22:55Z
Location: Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2, Tanegashima Space Center, Japan

H3-22

Launched Sat, Feb 17 · 12:22:55 AM UTC2024-02-17 00:22:55 UTCYoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2, Tanegashima Space Center, Japan

Reached orbit

Follow Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in the app Watch the replay

Success

Reached Sun-Synchronous Orbit

The second stage shut down at T+16:36 and released the payload at T+16:57.

Worldwide

32nd

orbital launch attempt in 2024

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

2nd

launch this year

Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2

1st

launch from this pad this year

Pad turnaround

346 d 22 h

since the pad's previous launch

Replay

Replay: Launch of the Second H3 Launch Vehicle

The Flight Plan

Planned times, from liftoff at 12:22 AM UTC. The result is at the top of the page.

Ascent6

T+0:0012:22 AMFirst upwards movement of the rocket
T+1:5612:24 AMThe solid rocket boosters are separated from the launcher.
T+3:3412:26 AMSeparation of the payload fairing
T+4:5812:27 AMCut-off of the main engine
T+5:0512:28 AMSeparation of the second stage from the first
T+5:1712:28 AMFirst start of the second engine

Second Stage and Payload5

T+16:3612:39 AMFirst cut-off of the second engine
T+16:5712:39 AMStart of the payload deployment sequence
T+1:47:232:10 AMSecond start of the second engine
T+1:47:392:10 AMSecond cut-off of the second engine
T+1:48:192:11 AMEnd of the payload deployment sequence.

Mission

New test flight of the H3 ordered following the failure of the inaugural launch of H3 in March 2023 with ALOS-3.

Main payload is VEP 4 (Vehicle Evaluation Payload 4), a 2.6 tonnes mass simulator payload that will be carried on the 2nd test flight of the H3 rocket, instead of the ALOS-4 Earth observation satellite as originally planned. It will be deployed after the 2nd de-orbit burn is completed to test the payload separation mechanism.

2 hitchhiking secondary payloads have been selected in June 2023:

* CE-SAT-1E - 70 kilograms class optical Earth observation satellite from Canon Electronics Inc., similar to the previously launched CE-SAT-1.

* TIRSAT - 3U cubesat by Japan Space Systems and other institutes to test an infrared sensor for Earth surface observation purposes.

Launch Provider

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Commercial · Japan · Founded 1884 · President Seiji Izumisawa

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. is a Japanese multinational engineering, electrical equipment and electronics company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. MHI is one of the core companies of the Mitsubishi Group. MHI's products include aerospace components, air conditioners, aircraft, automotive components, forklift trucks, hydraulic equipment, machine tools, missiles, power generation equipment, printing machines, ships and space launch vehicles. Through its defense-related activities, it is the world's 23rd-largest defense contractor measured by 2011 defense revenues and the largest based in Japan.

Launches

Successful

97%

Upcoming

scheduled

FliesH-I H-II H-III Kounotori HTV

All Mitsubishi Heavy Industries launches Website Wikipedia

Updates

Feb 17 · 3:41 AM
Launch success, all payloads separated into planned orbits.
Cosmic_Penguin
Feb 17 · 12:23 AM
Liftoff.
Cosmic_Penguin
Feb 16 · 11:02 PM
Livestream has started
Launch Library 2
Feb 14 · 5:05 AM
Rescheduled for February 17.
Cosmic_Penguin
Feb 13 · 5:36 AM
Delayed from February 15 due to launch site weather, new launch date TBD.
Cosmic_Penguin

Show earlier updates

Dec 28 · 2:48 AM
Added launch window and payload.
Cosmic_Penguin
Dec 27 · 4:51 PM
NET February 15, 2024.
Cosmic_Penguin
Nov 13 · 3:28 AM
No longer scheduled in 2023 (Q1 2024 is inferred from previous reports of launch within Fiscal Year 2023 in Japan).
Cosmic_Penguin
Sep 11 · 4:05 PM
Targeting 2023
Nosu
May 25 · 4:02 AM
Added launch per Japanese government decision to de-manifest ALOS-4 from the 2nd launch of H3 and replace it with a new test launch in the -22 configuration.
Cosmic_Penguin

H3-22

Vehicle history

Height

63m

Diameter

5.3m

Liftoff thrust

7,542kN

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Mitsubishi Heavy IndustriesLaunch SuccessfulTest Flight

VEP 4, CE‑SAT‑1E & TIRSAT

H3-22

Launched Sat, Feb 17 · 12:22:55 AM UTC2024-02-17 00:22:55 UTCYoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2, Tanegashima Space Center, Japan

Reached orbit

Follow Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in the app Watch the replay

Success

Reached Sun-Synchronous Orbit

The second stage shut down at T+16:36 and released the payload at T+16:57.

Worldwide

32nd

orbital launch attempt in 2024

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

2nd

launch this year

Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2

1st

launch from this pad this year

Pad turnaround

346 d 22 h

since the pad's previous launch

Replay

Replay: Launch of the Second H3 Launch Vehicle

The Flight Plan

Planned times, from liftoff at 12:22 AM UTC. The result is at the top of the page.

Ascent6

T+0:0012:22 AMFirst upwards movement of the rocket
T+1:5612:24 AMThe solid rocket boosters are separated from the launcher.
T+3:3412:26 AMSeparation of the payload fairing
T+4:5812:27 AMCut-off of the main engine
T+5:0512:28 AMSeparation of the second stage from the first
T+5:1712:28 AMFirst start of the second engine

Second Stage and Payload5

T+16:3612:39 AMFirst cut-off of the second engine
T+16:5712:39 AMStart of the payload deployment sequence
T+1:47:232:10 AMSecond start of the second engine
T+1:47:392:10 AMSecond cut-off of the second engine
T+1:48:192:11 AMEnd of the payload deployment sequence.

Mission

New test flight of the H3 ordered following the failure of the inaugural launch of H3 in March 2023 with ALOS-3.

2 hitchhiking secondary payloads have been selected in June 2023:

* CE-SAT-1E - 70 kilograms class optical Earth observation satellite from Canon Electronics Inc., similar to the previously launched CE-SAT-1.

* TIRSAT - 3U cubesat by Japan Space Systems and other institutes to test an infrared sensor for Earth surface observation purposes.

Launch Provider

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Commercial · Japan · Founded 1884 · President Seiji Izumisawa

Launches

Successful

97%

Upcoming

scheduled

FliesH-I H-II H-III Kounotori HTV

All Mitsubishi Heavy Industries launches Website Wikipedia

Updates

Feb 17 · 3:41 AM
Launch success, all payloads separated into planned orbits.
Cosmic_Penguin
Feb 17 · 12:23 AM
Liftoff.
Cosmic_Penguin
Feb 16 · 11:02 PM
Livestream has started
Launch Library 2
Feb 14 · 5:05 AM
Rescheduled for February 17.
Cosmic_Penguin
Feb 13 · 5:36 AM
Delayed from February 15 due to launch site weather, new launch date TBD.
Cosmic_Penguin

Show earlier updates

Dec 28 · 2:48 AM
Added launch window and payload.
Cosmic_Penguin
Dec 27 · 4:51 PM
NET February 15, 2024.
Cosmic_Penguin
Nov 13 · 3:28 AM
No longer scheduled in 2023 (Q1 2024 is inferred from previous reports of launch within Fiscal Year 2023 in Japan).
Cosmic_Penguin
Sep 11 · 4:05 PM
Targeting 2023
Nosu
May 25 · 4:02 AM
Added launch per Japanese government decision to de-manifest ALOS-4 from the 2nd launch of H3 and replace it with a new test launch in the -22 configuration.
Cosmic_Penguin

H3-22

Vehicle history

Height

63m

Diameter

5.3m

Liftoff thrust

7,542kN

Next From Tanegashima Space Center

Tanegashima Space Center schedule

NET2026

ETS-9Mitsubishi Heavy Industries · H3-22 · Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2, Tanegashima Space Center, JapanGeostationary Transfer OrbitTo be determinedNET 2026 Jun30Wed

IGS Optical Diversification 1Mitsubishi Heavy Industries · H3-30 · Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2, Tanegashima Space Center, JapanSun-Synchronous OrbitTo be determinedTime TBD

Space Launch Now for iOS and Android

Notifications before every launch you follow, live countdowns on your home screen and watch, and webcasts as they start.

See what's in the app

Scan to open on your phone

VEP 4, CE‑SAT‑1E & TIRSAT

Replay

More Videos

The Flight Plan

Ascent6

Second Stage and Payload5

Mission

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Updates

H3-22

VEP 4, CE‑SAT‑1E & TIRSAT

Replay

More Videos

The Flight Plan

Ascent6

Second Stage and Payload5

Mission

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Updates

H3-22

Next From Tanegashima Space Center

Next From Tanegashima Space Center

VEP 4, CE‑SAT‑1E & TIRSAT

Replay

More Videos

The Flight Plan

Ascent6

Second Stage and Payload5

Mission

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Updates

H3-22

Never Miss a Launch.

VEP 4, CE‑SAT‑1E & TIRSAT

Replay

More Videos

The Flight Plan

Ascent6

Second Stage and Payload5

Mission

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Updates

H3-22

Next From Tanegashima Space Center

Never Miss a Launch.

Next From Tanegashima Space Center