The Japan Space Agency (JAXA) announced that the second test launch of the new H3 rocket is planned for Saturday, February 17. Due to adverse weather forecasts in southwestern Japan, the start was postponed two days later than originally planned. The decision was taken after storms and strong winds were expected at the Tanegashima Cosmodrome.

The H3 rocket was developed by JAXA for over a decade as the successor to the main H-2A rocket. The upcoming launch is significant because following the H3’s unsuccessful first flight last March, the rocket was destroyed along with the payload.

The main goal of the second test flight of the H3 is to launch the rocket in a specific orbit. Additionally, JAXA plans to successfully launch two cubesats into orbit.

One of the main additional advantages of the H3 is the ability to launch a larger payload into Earth orbit at a much lower cost, making it competitive in the global market.

The results of JAXA’s previous successes in space exploration contribute to the overall expectation of success. Last month, JAXA achieved a historic success by landing the SLIM spacecraft, launched using the H-2A rocket, on the Moon. The agency also successfully launched a spy satellite into orbit using 48 H-2A rockets.