Tokyo. The scheduled launch of the H2A rocket carrying an information-gathering satellite from a space center on Japan’s southwestern island was postponed for the second time on Monday, the rocket maker said. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd said it had decided to postpone the launch of rocket number 49 from the Tanegashima Space Center on Tanegashima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture due to unsuitable wind conditions in the upper atmosphere. It was scheduled to be launched this afternoon. Mitsubishi Heavy said the winds blowing at the space center around the scheduled launch time did not meet the launch criteria.
The new launch date has not been decided yet. According to the manufacturer, the rocket carrying the eighth radar satellite collecting information of the Japanese Government was initially planned to be launched on Wednesday, but due to the possibility of bad weather, the launch was postponed till Monday. Japan plans to stop using H2A by March next year. Rocket number 50 will be the last rocket of this series. After this, the next generation H3 rocket will start being used.