INAUGURAL LAUNCH OF JAPAN’S H3 ROCKET, Mar 6, 2023, Tanegashima, Japan, 8:37 pm ET (Mar 7, 10:37 am JST)

Update, March 4:  The launch has been rescheduled for March 7 at the same time, 10:37:55-10:44:15 am JST, which is March 6, 8:37-8:44 pm EST.  (This is another one day slip.  As of yesterday, it was scheduled for March 6 JST, but the weather was not forecast to be conducive for launch, so they will wait until March 7 JST. Additional backup dates are on March 8, 9, and 10 JST.)

JAXA confirms it will be livestreamed, starting about 1 hour before launch.

Update, February 16, 8:40 pm ET:  The launch was scrubbed an instant before liftoff. Initial report was that the main engine ignited as planned at T-6 seconds, but at the time of liftoff the side boosters, SRB-3, did not and computers terminated the launch sequence.

Update, February 15: The launch time is the same as before. Window is open February 17 from 10:37:55-10:44:15 am JST, which is February 16 8:37:55-8:44:15 pm EST.

Update February 13, 11:00 pm ET: The launch has been postponed to Friday, February 17 JST (Thursday, February 16 EST) due to weather.  The launch time was not announced, but the livestream will begin at 7:45 pm EST on February 16, which is 15 minutes earlier than previously announced.

Live stream of #H3/ALOS-3 launch will start around 9:45 a.m. JST (UTC+9) on Feb 17.https://t.co/qgcGw1Q0cJ

— JAXA(Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) (@JAXA_en) February 14, 2023

Update, February 13: The launch will be livestreamed on YouTube per JAXA beginning at 10:00 am JST February 15 (February 14, 8:00 pm EST).

CORRECTION: The broadcast start time is around 10:00 (JST)/1:00 (UTC) on Feb 15.
Please keep the correct time in your schedule! https://t.co/D5Fsop8pLv

— JAXA(Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) (@JAXA_en) February 13, 2023

Update, February 9:  The launch is still planned for February 15, 10:37-10:44 am JST (February 14, 8:37-8:44 pm EST), but they continue to monitor the weather.

JAXA’s first H3 Launch vehicle carrying the Advanced Land Observing Satellite-3, “DAICHI-3” (ALOS-3), has been rescheduled to launch on 2/15, 10:37-10:44 a.m. JST (2/14, 8:37-8:44 p.m. EST). JAXA will continue to monitor launch conditions and will update if anything changes.

— JAXA Washington DC (@jaxa_wdc) February 9, 2023

Update, February 6:  JAXA reports that the launch has been postponed to February 15 JST, time to be announced. (Could be February 14 EST.)

Original Entry: The inaugural launch of Japan’s H3 rocket is scheduled for no earlier than February 12, 2023 at 10:37:55 am Japan Standard Time, which is 01:37:55 UTC, or February 11, 8:37:55 pm EST, from Tanegashima, Japan. The window is open that day through 10:44:15 am JST.

The reserved launch dates are February 12-February 28, so the date could change.

The rocket will launch Japan’s Advanced Land Observing Satellite-3, ALOS-3, also known as Daichi-3.

The H3 rocket, built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries,  will replace MHI’s H-IIA and H-IIB.