Hokkaido, Japan, was the scene of the first suborbital launch of a rocket by the well-known automaker Honda. The Japanese company wants to expand its field of action and enter the world of space exploration. The global CEO of Honda, Toshihiro Mibe, stated that the success of the first launch demonstrates the potential of the technology presented by Honda. The company intends to come up with a more sustainable and less expensive reusable rocket model, a challenge also faced by Elon Musk with his company SpaceX and his Falcon 9 rocket.
Honda
Founded by Sōichirō Honda and Takeo Fujisawa, Honda is a Japanese company specialized in the manufacture of automobiles, engines for land, water and air vehicles, robots and other products for the automotive industry. With more than 60 years of experience, the company has considered that now is a good time to broaden its horizons and expand its technology to other sectors, such as space exploration.
Honda´s first launch
Did you imagine that the next company to bet on space exploration would be Honda? It certainly came as a surprise to everyone. However, the company aims to position Japan within the aerospace industry by bringing a totally different approach. The launch was carried out using a reusable rocket, which is intended to be less costly and more environmentally sustainable. In addition to being reusable, it has many other features. It has a height of 21 feet, and although it is not high enough to enter space, it reached 890 feet.
What was Honda’s intention with this launch? Nothing further than actually reaching space. The company wanted to test and demonstrate its rocket’s ability to take off, climb and re-land vertically and successfully. Hokkaido was the scene of this launch, which lasted 56.6 seconds. Although it failed to enter space, it left the experts speechless, as it was able to land in a controlled manner just 15 inches from the exact spot where it was supposed to land.
Reusable and sustainable rockets
According to Honda’s data, it suggests that in the next few years the demand for rockets to launch satellites will increase, as this is the way to obtain truly relevant and useful data. Thus, the company is focusing on reusable rockets. This initiative is not Honda’s idea, as Elon Musk is already pursuing this goal with his company SpaceX with its Falcon 9. It is not new that the company is studying ways to make its rocket developed by Starchip fully reusable.
Honda in Space
The value of this launch was very high for Honda. Modern space exploration faces constant technological improvements, so it is important to be at the forefront of that innovation. As of today, it is not known what plans Honda has once it reaches space. The use of these rockets has not been determined. They have only stated that this is a new direction with the aim of continuing to create more sustainable means of transportation. According to Toshihiro Mive, Honda’s CEO, “this rocket represents the company’s powerful technology and is related to other sectors they are working on, such as automated driving systems”.
Upcoming launches
2029 has been the year set on the calendar by the brand for its next suborbital launch. A suborbital launch is one that only reaches the frontier of space and returns to Earth, without entering orbit, as orbital launches do. It is undeniable that space operations are no longer limited to government agencies, but any private company with sufficient means can enter this sector. That is why Honda has not wanted to be left behind, and has bet on this new means of transportation.
