May 9, 2026
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Breaking News
  • [ May 8, 2026 ] Rescue mission for NASA’s $500 million space telescope passes key testing milestone Mission Reports
  • [ May 7, 2026 ] Rocket Lab announces five-launch Neutron deal as it continues aiming for late 2026 debut Mission Reports
  • [ May 5, 2026 ] SpaceX launches 24 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB Falcon 9
  • [ May 4, 2026 ] Lockheed Martin joins collaboration with Firefly Aerospace and Seagate for off-shore launches Alpha
  • [ May 2, 2026 ] SpaceX launches South Korean Earth observation satellite, plus 44 more payloads on midnight Falcon 9 rideshare mission Falcon 9

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

H-2A

Japanese weather observatory successfully boosted into orbit

November 2, 2016 Stephen Clark

A nearly four-ton satellite fitted with a modernized camera to collect more timely images of typhoons and severe weather bolted away from a seaside launch pad in southern Japan on Wednesday, riding an H-2A rocket on the way to an orbital perch more than 22,000 miles above Earth.

H-2A

Key events during the H-2A rocket launch with Himawari 9

November 1, 2016 Stephen Clark

Japan’s Himawari 9 weather satellite will ride into space atop an H-2A rocket from Tanegashima Space Center and reach a preliminary geostationary transfer orbit within 28 minutes of liftoff.

H-2A

Live coverage: H-2A rocket blasts off with latest Japanese weather satellite

November 1, 2016 Stephen Clark

A Japanese H-2A rocket launched from Tanegashima Island on Wednesday with the Himawari 9 weather observatory bound for a perch more than 22,000 miles above Earth to improve forecasting in the Asia-Pacific. Liftoff of the 17-story rocket from southern Japan occurred at 0620 GMT (2:20 a.m. EDT) Wednesday.

H-2A

H-2A rocket rolls to launch pad with Japanese weather satellite

November 1, 2016 Stephen Clark

A sophisticated new Japanese weather satellite will ride an H-2A rocket into orbit Wednesday to start a 15-year mission tracking cyclones and helping meteorologists predict storm movements across the Asia-Pacific and Australia.

H-2A

Photos: H-2A rocket soars on groundbreaking astronomy mission

February 19, 2016 Stephen Clark

Burning a mixture of super-cold liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen and pre-packed solid propellant, Japan’s H-2A rocket vaulted into a deep blue evening sky over the beaches of Tanegashima Island on Wednesday with a satellite that will see the surroundings of black holes better than ever before.

H-2A

Black hole observatory launched from Japan

February 17, 2016 Stephen Clark

Japan launched a pioneering observatory with X-ray vision Wednesday to peer into the mysterious, light-starved neighborhoods around black holes and study the genesis of galaxies and other cosmic mega-structures billions of light-years from Earth.

H-2A

Live coverage: Japan’s H-2A rocket blasts off on first commercial flight

November 24, 2015 Stephen Clark

After a brief delay to chase away a boat from offshore waters, Japan’s H-2A rocket launched at 0650 GMT (1:50 a.m. EST) with the Telstar 12 Vantage telecom satellite. The launch from marks the first flight of an H-2A rocket with an upgraded upper stage, and the launcher’s first dedicated commercial mission.

H-2A

Sporting new upgrades, H-2A rocket readied for flight

November 23, 2015 Stephen Clark

A Japanese H-2A rocket is set for liftoff Tuesday on its first fully commercial mission, carrying a communications satellite for Telesat of Canada that will bridge the Atlantic Ocean with expanded coverage for television broadcasters and mobile users from Latin America to the Middle East.

Mission Reports

H-2B rocket launch sends supply shipment to space station

August 19, 2015 Stephen Clark

A cache of critical cargo stowed inside a solar-powered Japanese resupply freighter is speeding toward a rendezvous with the International Space Station after a successful launch Wednesday.

Mission Reports

Live coverage: Japanese cargo craft arrives at space station

August 19, 2015 Stephen Clark

An automated logistics vehicle packed with nearly five tons of supplies reached the International Space Station on Monday after a laser-guided rendezvous culminating with grapple of the HTV cargo craft by the station’s robotic arm at 1028 GMT (6:28 a.m. EDT).

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News Headlines

  • Rescue mission for NASA’s $500 million space telescope passes key testing milestone
    May 8, 2026
  • Rocket Lab announces five-launch Neutron deal as it continues aiming for late 2026 debut
    May 7, 2026
  • SpaceX launches 24 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB
    May 5, 2026
  • Lockheed Martin joins collaboration with Firefly Aerospace and Seagate for off-shore launches
    May 4, 2026
  • SpaceX launches South Korean Earth observation satellite, plus 44 more payloads on midnight Falcon 9 rideshare mission
    May 2, 2026
  • SpaceX marks May Day, National Space Day with Starlink mission on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral
    May 1, 2026
  • SpaceX launches 24 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB
    April 29, 2026
  • SpaceX launches 6-ton ViaSat-3 F3 satellite on Falcon Heavy rocket
    April 29, 2026
  • Launch preview: SpaceX seeks second attempt at Falcon Heavy launch following weather scrub on Monday
    April 28, 2026
  • ULA launches 29 Amazon Leo satellites on Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral
    April 27, 2026
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