Japan's space agency conducts first test flight for experimental reusable rocket

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TOKYO (AP) — Japan's experimental reusable rocket took off and safely landed in a first test flight Saturday as the country seeks to achieve the technology key to cut launch costs and compete in the global space market dominated by SpaceX.

The RV-X rocket lifted off, hovered and moved horizontally before landing during its less than one-minute flight at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Noshiro Testing Center in northeastern Japan, which was livestreamed by the NVS, a group of space fans.

The rocket flew as planned, rising 11 meters (36 feet) and moving horizontally 16 meters (52 feet) while keeping its upright position before landing, Takashi Ito, JAXA's reusable rocket project manager, said in an online briefing from the test center.

Japan seeks to catch up with the technology Elon Musk’s SpaceX has been using for several years to cut launch costs of delivering payloads into space.

Saturday’s flight is a step forward for Japan in achieving the technology needed to develop a lower cost successor to the country’s current mainstay, single-use H3 series.

The flight comes one day after state media in China reported the country achieved its first successful recovery of the first stage of a rocket after a liftoff.

Japan's H3 rocket is designed to be more cost effective than its predecessor H-2A series, which had a near-perfect success record, but still needs further cost cuts to compete in the global space market.

The Japanese government says a stable, commercially competitive transport capability is key to the country's space program and national security.

JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries have been co-developing the RV-X, which is 1.8 meters (5.9 feet) in diameter and 7.3 meters (23.9 feet) long and equipped with an engine with enhanced durability and four shock-absorption landing gear.

The “hardworking” engine has so far withstood 165 combustion tests, Ito said.

JAXA, which is jointly developing reusable rockets with France and Germany, plans to send the RV-X rocket to a higher altitude of about 100 meters (218 feet) in future test flights.