Japan launches GOSAT-GW on 50th and final liftoff of the H-2A rocket (video)
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Japan launches GOSAT-GW on 50th and final liftoff of the H-2A rocket (video)
Japan launched its 50th and final H-2A rocket carrying the GOSAT-GW satellite on Saturday, June 28, 2025. The mission lifted off from Yoshinobu Launch Complex (LP-1) at the Tenegashima Space Center in Japan at 12:33 p.m. EDT (1633 GMT; 1:33 local time in Japan) The satellite is equipped with two main instruments. The first is known as the Advanced Microwave Radiometer (AMSR) and will measure water cycles and fluctuations in sea surface temperatures. The second is the Greenhouse Gases Observation Sensor (TANSO), and will monitor components such as carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere to measure climate change.
温室効果ガス・水循環観測技術衛星（GOSAT-GW）／H-IIAロケット50号機打上げライブ中継 – YouTube Watch On
Japan launched a dual-purpose satellite to monitor sea temperature and greenhouse gases.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on Saturday (June 28) conducted its 50th and final launch of the H-2A rocket, taking the GOSAT-GW dual-purpose satellite to space. The mission lifted off from Yoshinobu Launch Complex (LP-1) at the Tenegashima Space Center in Japan at 12:33 p.m. EDT (1633 GMT; 1:33 a.m. June 29, local time in Japan).
The Greenhouse Gas and Water Cycle Observation Satellite (GOSAT-GW) is the latest in Japan’s efforts to observe changes in water cycles and greenhouse gases. GOSAT-GW has joined its predecessors in Earth orbit: GCOM-W2, which launched in 2012 and is known as “SHIZUKU,” and GOSAT-1, which launched in 2009 and is known as “IBUKI.”
GOSAT-GW is equipped with two main instruments.
The first is known as the Advanced Microwave Radiometer (AMSR), and will measure water cycles and fluctuations in sea surface temperatures. The second is the Greenhouse Gases Observation Sensor (TANSO), and will monitor components such as carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere to measure climate change.
Japan’s H-2A rocket, built for JAXA by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, was capable of launching payloads into a geostationary orbit around Earth and to orbit around the moon. It also launched the Akatsuki spacecraft to study Venus in 2010, though the spacecraft failed to properly enter Venusian orbit.
H-2A first launched in 2001. During its nearly 25 years in operation, the rocket experienced only a single launch failure, giving the vehicle a 98% success rate. After 50 missions, the launch vehicle is now being retired to make way for Japan’s H3 rocket, which offers comparable performance at a lower cost.
Japan launches GOSAT-GW on 50th and final liftoff of the H-2A rocket (video)
Japan launched its 50th and final H-2A rocket carrying the GOSAT-GW satellite on Saturday, June 28, 2025. The mission lifted off from Yoshinobu Launch Complex (LP-1) at the Tenegashima Space Center in Japan at 12:33 p.m. EDT (1633 GMT) The dual-purpose satellite will monitor sea temperature and greenhouse gases. After 50 missions, the launch vehicle is now being retired to make way for Japan’s H3 rocket, which offers comparable performance at a lower cost.
Japan launched its 50th and final H-2A rocket carrying the GOSAT-GW satellite on Saturday, June 28, 2025. | Credit: JAXA
Japan launched a dual-purpose satellite to monitor sea temperature and greenhouse gases.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on Saturday (June 28) conducted its 50th and final launch of the H-2A rocket, taking the GOSAT-GW dual-purpose satellite to space. The mission lifted off from Yoshinobu Launch Complex (LP-1) at the Tenegashima Space Center in Japan at 12:33 p.m. EDT (1633 GMT; 1:33 a.m. June 29, local time in Japan).
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The Greenhouse Gas and Water Cycle Observation Satellite (GOSAT-GW) is the latest in Japan’s efforts to observe changes in water cycles and greenhouse gases. GOSAT-GW has joined its predecessors in Earth orbit: GCOM-W2, which launched in 2012 and is known as “SHIZUKU,” and GOSAT-1, which launched in 2009 and is known as “IBUKI.”
GOSAT-GW is equipped with two main instruments.
The first is known as the Advanced Microwave Radiometer (AMSR), and will measure water cycles and fluctuations in sea surface temperatures. The second is the Greenhouse Gases Observation Sensor (TANSO), and will monitor components such as carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere to measure climate change.
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Japan’s H-2A rocket, built for JAXA by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, was capable of launching payloads into a geostationary orbit around Earth and to orbit around the moon. It also launched the Akatsuki spacecraft to study Venus in 2010, though the spacecraft failed to properly enter Venusian orbit.
H-2A first launched in 2001. During its nearly 25 years in operation, the rocket experienced only a single launch failure, giving the vehicle a 98% success rate. After 50 missions, the launch vehicle is now being retired to make way for Japan’s H3 rocket, which offers comparable performance at a lower cost.
Last launch of Japan’s flagship H2A rocket rescheduled for Sunday early hours
The launch was originally scheduled for Tuesday but postponed due to a malfunction in the rocket’s electrical systems on the second stage. The rocket will be launched at 1:33 a.m. from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan.
The launch was originally scheduled for Tuesday but postponed due to a malfunction in the rocket’s electrical systems on the second stage.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries said on Tuesday it has completed replacement and re-inspection of a troubled device. The rocket will be launched at 1:33 a.m. from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan.
The H2A will carry into space a GOSAT-GW satellite, whose mission includes measurement of greenhouse gas levels in the earth’s atmosphere.
The rocket has been Japan’s flagship for more than two decades to carry satellites into space. But due to high launch costs and other factors, the model will be completely replaced by the new H3 rocket after its final launch on Sunday.
The success rate of H2A’s launch is around 98 percent. The only one that failed was the sixth, which happened in 2003.
People are waiting to see whether Sunday’s launch can add to that high confidence level in H2A.