Japan has taken a significant step toward developing reusable rocket technology after successfully launching and landing its experimental RV-X rocket during its first test flight on Saturday.
The rocket lifted off from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Noshiro Testing Center in northeastern Japan, hovered in midair, moved horizontally, and then made a controlled landing—all within a flight lasting less than a minute. The demonstration was livestreamed by NVS, a Japanese space enthusiasts’ group.
According to Takashi Ito, JAXA’s reusable rocket project manager, the test proceeded exactly as planned. The RV-X climbed approximately 11 meters (36 feet), traveled 16 meters (52 feet) horizontally while maintaining an upright position, and landed safely.
The successful test marks an important milestone in Japan’s efforts to develop reusable launch technology, a breakthrough that has allowed Elon Musk’s SpaceX to dramatically reduce the cost of sending payloads into orbit.
JAXA hopes the technology will eventually power a reusable successor to Japan’s current H3 rocket, which is designed for a single use.
The achievement comes amid growing competition in the global space industry. Just a day earlier, Chinese state media reported that China had successfully recovered the first stage of a rocket following launch for the first time.
Although Japan’s H3 rocket is already more cost-effective than the highly reliable H-2A rocket it replaced, officials say further reductions in launch costs are essential for the country to compete internationally.
