Japan's H3 launches zero-booster variant June 10, testing cost-cut path
JAXA's H3-30 maiden flight on June 10 flies without solid rocket boosters for the first time, targeting $50M per launch and reshaping Asia-Pacific competitiveness after December's failure.
Japan clears stripped-down H3 rocket for first flight in June
JAXA greenlights the H3-30 variant for June 10 launch, a three-engine configuration without solid boosters that positions Japan to compete in the low-cost medium-lift segment.
Rocket Lab launches JAXA satellites as FAA imposes retroactive user fees
Rocket Lab's Electron successfully delivered eight JAXA satellites to orbit on April 23, 2026, the same day the FAA published retroactive per-launch fees — the first of their kind in U.S. commercial space history.