Japan's space agency JAXA has lost a 5-ton navigation satellite when it fell off a rocket during launch. The Michibiki 5 satellite was placed into an orbit over 20,000 miles above the Earth but failed to reach its destination.
According to investigators, something went wrong when the rocket released its payload shroud nearly four minutes into the flight. Video footage from onboard cameras showed debris surrounding the satellite as it began wobbling and leaning in moments after fairing separation. Sensors also detected sudden accelerations around the attachment point connecting the spacecraft with the top of the H3 rocket.
The cause of the failure is still unknown, but investigators are looking at several possibilities, including the possibility of an impact or collision between part of the payload fairing and the satellite or its mounting structure. They are also examining whether residual strain energy in the connection was suddenly released at the moment of fairing separation.
Data from the rocket indicate that pressure inside the fairing decreased as expected during the launch, but officials do not believe this was a factor in the failure. However, engineers are investigating whether measurements were incorrect.
The H3 rocket has a record of six successful launches in eight flights, including its debut launch in 2023 which faltered due to an ignition failure on the rocket's second stage.
JAXA must complete the latest H3 failure investigation in the coming months to clear the rocket to launch the nation's Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) mission in a narrow planetary launch window that opens in October. MMX is an exciting robotic mission to land on and retrieve samples from the Martian moon Phobos for return to Earth.
The loss of the Michibiki 5 satellite raises questions about Japan's space program and its ability to maintain reliable performance, particularly given the upcoming MMX mission which relies heavily on the H3 rocket.
According to investigators, something went wrong when the rocket released its payload shroud nearly four minutes into the flight. Video footage from onboard cameras showed debris surrounding the satellite as it began wobbling and leaning in moments after fairing separation. Sensors also detected sudden accelerations around the attachment point connecting the spacecraft with the top of the H3 rocket.
The cause of the failure is still unknown, but investigators are looking at several possibilities, including the possibility of an impact or collision between part of the payload fairing and the satellite or its mounting structure. They are also examining whether residual strain energy in the connection was suddenly released at the moment of fairing separation.
Data from the rocket indicate that pressure inside the fairing decreased as expected during the launch, but officials do not believe this was a factor in the failure. However, engineers are investigating whether measurements were incorrect.
The H3 rocket has a record of six successful launches in eight flights, including its debut launch in 2023 which faltered due to an ignition failure on the rocket's second stage.
JAXA must complete the latest H3 failure investigation in the coming months to clear the rocket to launch the nation's Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) mission in a narrow planetary launch window that opens in October. MMX is an exciting robotic mission to land on and retrieve samples from the Martian moon Phobos for return to Earth.
The loss of the Michibiki 5 satellite raises questions about Japan's space program and its ability to maintain reliable performance, particularly given the upcoming MMX mission which relies heavily on the H3 rocket.
I'm really disappointed to hear that JAXA lost their navigation satellite during launch 
. It's like they're throwing good vibes out of the window with every malfunction 
. The fact that it was just a 5-ton satellite, but still important for navigation, makes me wonder if they were too ambitious with their new H3 rocket 
.
, but when you have a mission as crucial as the Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) on the line, you gotta make sure everything's perfect 
. Losing that satellite raises so many questions about Japan's space program and its reliability... what if it happens again during MMX? 
, but without solidifying the basics first. I get that mistakes happen, but this feels like a big setback for Japan's space ambitions... 
japan's space agency jaxa is always pushing the boundaries of space tech but accidents like this make u wonder about their reliability 
! Losing a 5-ton navigation satellite is huge for JAXA... it's like, they were so close to their goal but then BAM! Fairing separation fails and everything goes wrong 
. I'm curious about those investigators trying to figure out what went down - was it really an impact or collision? I don't think the pressure inside the fairing being low is a factor, but maybe they're looking at that too? 
i hope jaxa gets to figure out what went wrong and can still launch that mission in october
can u believe this is happening just days before the launch window? i feel like jaxa needs to get their act together ASAP or else japan's space dreams are gonna crash down 
what a bummer! 20k miles is like, way up there 
. Maybe they'll get to try again and make some space magic happen 
?
... it sounds like the Michibiki 5 satellite's failure might've been due to some structural issue, but you never know for sure yet 
... what if they didn't measure the pressure inside the fairing correctly? 
That's a pretty big risk to take, especially with MMX relying on that rocket 
.
... it makes me wonder if we're always chasing progress & tech advancements without stopping to consider the fragility & reliability of our creations 
... what's the point of reaching Mars if we can't even keep a tiny navigation satellite aloft for more than 4 minutes? 
... and now, with MMX on the line, that feeling gets amplified 
...
! I'm still trying to wrap my head around what happened to that satellite... it was like something went haywire right after launch 
. I hope JAXA gets to the bottom of this soon, 'cause they can't afford to mess up now 
.
It shows they're working on a solid foundation. Still, you've got to be vigilant when there are risks involved with tech like this 
like they did that one launch in 2023 and it failed due to ignition issues... now this Michibiki 5 thing fails too... what if it happens again on the MMX mission?! 