H3

hopefully will be launched in October this year from Tanegashima.

It was already planned to be launched in 2024 when there turned out to be some issues with the launcher, the H3 rocket, so it had to be As you know, launch windows to Mars only occur every second year, so you have to wait for two years.

I think we could use these two years very well to improve the mission and add tests and improve software.

at the moment schedule for October launch this year and if you miss that you have to wait another two years but presumably you're quite confident that we'll launch in this launch I'm

Well, let's say years before being retired, I can say.

Now, H3 had a tough journey, of course, getting started.

Its very first launch back in 2023 failed.

Then it bounced back, flew five successful missions in a row.

The small damaged piece caused a chain reaction and the whole mission was lost.

JAXA went back to the drawing board, they fixed the problem, they upgraded the rocket and this time they added something new.

They flew H3 with three engines for the very first time instead of the usual two.

So there's more power, more thrust and more confidence with that rocket.