H3 family

H3-22

The H3 Launch Vehicle is a Japanese expendable launch system. Each H3 booster configuration has a two-digit and a letter designation that indicates the features of that configuration. The first digit represents the number of LE-9 engines on the main stage, either "2" or "3". The second digit indicates the number of SRB-3 solid rocket boosters attached to the base of the rocket, and can be "0", "2" or "4". All layouts of solid boosters are symmetrical. The letter in the end shows the length of the payload fairing, either short "S" or long "L". For example, an H3-24L has two engines, four solid rocket boosters, and a long fairing, whereas an H3-30S has three engines, no solid rocket boosters, and a short fairing.

Flights flown73 scheduled
Success rate71.4%5/7
Maiden flight2023-03-07
Peak year20243 flights

H3-22 is built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan. Company background, funding, contracts and news for this operator are tracked on Space Index. It first flew on 7 March 2023.

Flight record

10 records
71.4% success rate5 of 7 flown · 2 failed
2023peak 2024 · 3 flights2026
First flight2023-03-07
Latest flight2026-08-10
Failures2
Consecutive successes1
Fastest turnaround90d 1h

Payload

Per mission profile
Geostationary transfer orbit5,400kg
Launch cost$50M

Vehicle

22 spec
Stages2
Length63m
Diameter5.27m
Liftoff thrust7,542kN
Maiden flight2023-03-07
ReusableNo

Pads used

1 pad

Orbits delivered

4 orbits
Geostationary Transfer Orbit5Sun-Synchronous Orbit3Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit1Lunar Orbit1

Launch history

10 launches
DateMissionPadOrbitOutcome
2026-08-10H3-22 | Michibiki 7 (QZS-7)Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2Geostationary Transfer OrbitSuccess
2025-12-22H3-22 | Michibiki 5 (QZS-5)Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2Geosynchronous Transfer OrbitFailure
2025-02-02H3-22 | Michibiki 6 (QZS-6)Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2Geostationary Transfer OrbitSuccess
2024-11-04H3-22 | DSN 3 (Kirameki 3)Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2Geostationary Transfer OrbitSuccess
2024-07-01H3-22 | Advanced Land Observing Satellite-4 (ALOS-4)Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2Sun-Synchronous OrbitSuccess
2024-02-17H3-22 | VEP 4, CE-SAT-1E & TIRSATYoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2Sun-Synchronous OrbitSuccess
2023-03-07H3-22 | ALOS-3 (Maiden flight)Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2Sun-Synchronous OrbitFailure
TBDH3-22 | ETS-9Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2Geostationary Transfer OrbitScheduled
TBDH3-22 | JSDF SDA satelliteYoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2Geostationary Transfer OrbitScheduled
TBDH3-22 | ispace Mission 3 ULTRAYoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2Lunar OrbitScheduled

Specifications from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs, launch records from Space Index. Derived figures are computed here; see sources and method.

Further reading: Wikipedia · Operator page