SMRTR Science & EngineeringJan 28, 2026Ars Technica

Japan lost a 5-ton navigation satellite when it fell off a rocket during launch

SMRTR summary

Japan's H3 rocket suffered an unprecedented failure during its eighth flight in December when the 5-ton Michibiki 5 navigation satellite fell off the vehicle after the protective payload fairing was jettisoned four minutes into launch, creating a shower of debris and causing the satellite to wobble before detaching from the rocket's upper stage.

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