Japan has taken a significant step towards developing reusable rocket technology after its space agency successfully carried out the first lift-off and landing test of a prototype rocket, an area currently led by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said the prototype lifted off from its test facility in Noshiro in the Akita prefecture on Saturday, climbed to an altitude of around 10 metres and then landed safely.According to JAXA, the entire flight lasted about 40 seconds.“I feel we have put a great deal of time and effort into this, and now that the prototype has taken off and landed without problem, I must say I feel a great sense of relief,” Takashi Ito, who led the launch, told reporters.Ito said the agency would now analyse the flight data to formally assess the outcome of the test but added that he was “confident” it had “obtained very useful data.”The successful trial marks another milestone in the global race to develop reusable launch systems that can significantly reduce the cost of sending payloads into space.Unlike conventional rockets, which are designed for a single mission before their components fall into the sea, burn up in the atmosphere or remain in orbit as debris, reusable rockets are designed to return safely for future launches. The first-stage booster is typically the most expensive part of a rocket, making its recovery economically valuable.SpaceX has pioneered this technology through its Falcon 9 rocket, which has been carrying out routine reusable missions since 2017.China also advanced its reusable rocket programme on Friday after achieving its first successful reusable rocket landing, a development seen as another challenge to US leadership in the sector.Japan has also seen growing private-sector participation in reusable launch technology. In June last year, a subsidiary of Honda became the first Japanese company to successfully launch and land a reusable rocket.The latest JAXA test comes as Japan seeks to strengthen the global competitiveness of its space industry. The country’s flagship H3 rocket successfully completed a mission in June, months after an earlier launch failed to place a satellite into orbit.
