Posted: Sun, Jul 7, 2024, 4:44 PM ET (2044 GMT)
An H3 rocket launched a Japanese Earth science satellite June 30. The H3 lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center at 11:06 pm EDT (0306 GMT July 1) and deployed the Advanced Land Observing Satellite-4 (ALOS-4) into a sun-synchronous orbit. ALOS-4, built by prime contractor Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, carries a phased array type L-band synthetic aperture radar that is an improvement over the one on ALOS-2. The launch was the second successful flight of the H3 after a launch in February that carried a test payload and two smallsats. The inaugural launch of the rocket last year, carrying ALOS-3, failed.

Related Links:

•  SpaceNews article
•  AP article
•  Japan Times article