Japan Tests Reusable Rocket, Achieving Vertical Landing Success

Japan has taken a significant step in the race for reusable rocket technology, with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) successfully completing a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) test for its experimental reusable rocket, the RV-X. This achievement marks a crucial milestone in JAXA's efforts to develop cost-effective space launch capabilities.

The test flight, conducted at the Noshiro Space Environment Utilization Center in Akita Prefecture, saw the 7.3-meter tall, 1.8-meter diameter RV-X rocket ascend approximately 11 meters, hover in place, move horizontally for about 16 meters, and then land vertically. While the altitude and distances may seem modest, the test successfully validated critical technologies for reusability, including precise engine control for hovering, horizontal maneuvering, and controlled vertical descent and landing.

This development comes just a day after China announced its success in recovering the first stage booster of its Long March 10B rocket, which utilizes a net-capture system unlike the landing legs employed by SpaceX's Falcon 9. JAXA's RV-X project, a collaborative effort with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and part of the international CALLISTO project, aims to advance reusable launch vehicle technology. JAXA plans to increase the test altitude to 100 meters in future tests.

Meanwhile, Honda R&D, a subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., is also developing its own reusable rocket, having successfully tested a vertical takeoff and landing at an altitude of 300 meters last year with a target of reaching near-Earth orbit by 2029. South Korea is also pursuing reusable rocket development through its next-generation launch vehicle program, aiming for a methane-fueled, 70-meter rocket by 2032, currently in the preliminary design phase.