H3-22
ActiveMitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI)
March 7, 2023
Description
The H3 Launch Vehicle is a Japanese expendable launch system. Each H3 booster configuration has a two-digit and a letter designation that indicates the features of that configuration. The first digit represents the number of LE-9 engines on the main stage, either "2" or "3". The second digit indicates the number of SRB-3 solid rocket boosters attached to the base of the rocket, and can be "0", "2" or "4". All layouts of solid boosters are symmetrical. The letter in the end shows the length of the payload fairing, either short "S" or long "L". For example, an H3-24L has two engines, four solid rocket boosters, and a long fairing, whereas an H3-30S has three engines, no solid rocket boosters, and a short fairing.
Specifications
-
Stages
2 -
Length
63.0 m -
Diameter
5.27 m -
Fairing Diameter
5.27 m -
Launch Mass
― -
Thrust
7542.0 kN
Family
-
Name
H3-22 -
Family
― -
Variant
22 -
Alias
― -
Full Name
H3-22
Payload Capacity
-
Launch Cost
$50000000 -
Low Earth Orbit
― -
Geostationary Transfer
Orbit
5400.0 kg -
Direct Geostationary
― -
Sun-Synchronous Capacity
―
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Commercial
President: Seiji Izumisawa
MHI 1884Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. is a Japanese multinational engineering, electrical equipment and electronics company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. MHI is one of the core companies of the Mitsubishi Group. MHI's products include aerospace components, air conditioners, aircraft, automotive components, forklift trucks, hydraulic equipment, machine tools, missiles, power generation equipment, printing machines, ships and space launch vehicles. Through its defense-related activities, it is the world's 23rd-largest defense contractor measured by 2011 defense revenues and the largest based in Japan.
Upcoming Spaceflights
H3-22 | ETS-9
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | JapanTanegashima Space Center, Japan
TBD December, 2026
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:
The Engineering Test Satellite 9 (ETS-9) is a JAXA project aimed to develop an advanced satellite bus, or common model, for various high-throughput satellites (HTS) for communications. The new satellite bus by Mitsubishi Electric will focus specifically on advanced communication needs: - Up to 25kW of power to support HTS communications - Light mass, all-electric bus system achieved with 6kW high-power Hall thrusters (Japan-made). - High-power Hall thrusters significantly shorten delivery of orbiting satellite compared to other manufacturer’s 4.5kW-class electric-propulsion bus systems - The first Japanese geostationary satellite equipped with GPS receivers (Japan-made) for laborsaving autonomous orbital transfer and orbital maneuvering.
Geostationary Transfer OrbitH3-22 | Michibiki 7 (QZS-7)
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | JapanTanegashima Space Center, Japan
TBD December, 2026
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:
QZSS (Quasi Zenith Satellite System) is a Japanese satellite navigation system operating from inclined, elliptical geosynchronous orbits to achieve optimal high-elevation visibility in urban canyons and mountainous areas. The navigation system objective is to broadcast GPS-interoperable and augmentation signals as well as original Japanese (QZSS) signals from a three-spacecraft constellation. The navigation system objective is to broadcast GPS-interoperable and augmentation signals as well as original Japanese (QZSS) signals from a three-spacecraft constellation in inclined, elliptical geosynchronous orbits.
Geostationary Transfer OrbitH3-22 | Michibiki 5 (QZS-5)
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | JapanTanegashima Space Center, Japan
Dec. 22, 2025, 1:51 a.m.
Status: Launch Failure
Mission:
QZSS (Quasi Zenith Satellite System) is a Japanese satellite navigation system operating from inclined, elliptical geosynchronous orbits to achieve optimal high-elevation visibility in urban canyons and mountainous areas. The navigation system objective is to broadcast GPS-interoperable and augmentation signals as well as original Japanese (QZSS) signals from a three-spacecraft constellation. The navigation system objective is to broadcast GPS-interoperable and augmentation signals as well as original Japanese (QZSS) signals from a three-spacecraft constellation in inclined, elliptical geosynchronous orbits.
Geosynchronous Transfer OrbitFalcon 9
Starlink Group 17-35
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USAA batch of 25 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Falcon 9
Starlink Group 10-58
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USAA batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Soyuz-5
Demo Flight
45/1 - Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of KazakhstanDemonstration Flight for Russia's new Soyuz-5 launch vehicle, with a mass simulator on board. Details TBD.
Space Launch System (SLS)
Artemis II
Launch Complex 39B - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USAArtemis II is the first crewed mission as part of the Artemis program. Artemis II will send a crew of 4 - 3 Americans and 1 Canadian around the moon …
Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat-M
Meridian-M No.21L
43/3 (43L) - Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian FederationNote: Payload identity uncertain. Meridian is a series of communications satellite for military and civilian use.
