A Japanese government information-gathering satellite has successfully been put into a planned orbit around Earth.
An H2A rocket carrying the satellite lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, at 2:24 p.m. on Thursday.
The H2A jettisoned its booster rockets and first-stage engine before releasing the satellite into orbit.
Information-gathering satellites are designed to capture images of Earth’s surface.
The satellites are used to monitor North Korea’s missile-launching facilities and to assess the extent of damage in disasters, among other things.
The one launched on Thursday is a radar satellite that can take photos at night or in poor weather conditions. It will replace one currently in operation.
The H2A rocket, with Thursday’s launch of the 49th in its series, has marked 43 consecutive successful launches, but faces challenges such as high costs.
It is slated to be replaced by its successor H3 rockets after the launch of the 50th rocket, planned during the current fiscal year by the end of March 2025.