Updated: Mon, Feb 4, 2002, 8:34 AM ET (1334 GMT)
Originally Posted: Mon, Feb 4, 2002, 12:56 AM ET (0556 GMT)
A Japanese H-2A booster launched Monday on the second successful test flight for the new vehicle. The H-2A lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center at 9:45 pm EST Sunday night (0245 GMT, 11:45 am JST Monday). The booster placed into orbit an experimental satellite and a test payload, as well as a hypersonic reentry demonstrator. However, according to later reports communications have not been established with the DASH reentry demonstrators, raising concerns that the spacecraft failed. The launch was the second for the H-2A, after another successful launch in August 2001. The H-2A is an upgraded version of the H-2 booster that the Japanese space agency NASDA retired after successive launch failures in 1998 and 1999.

Related Links:

•  NASDA H-2A information
•  Spaceflight Now launch status center
•  Reuters article
•  BBC article