Recent Activity
H3 second successful flight February 2024 after maiden-flight failure 2023; H3 operational launches deploying ALOS-4 and HTV-X; MMX Mars Moons mission target window 2026.
Investor Brief
Japan's sole heavy-lift orbital pad; underpins HTV-X cargo missions to ISS, JAXA lunar/planetary science, and commercial H3 launch service competing with Falcon 9 on price. H3 transition is Japan's bet to halve LEO/GTO launch costs vs. retired H-IIA.
Ownership
Parent Entity
Regulatory Regime
Anchor Tenants
Latitude Advantage
Launch Azimuth Range
Country
🇯🇵Japan
Region
Asia
Established
1,969
Launches / Year
58
Years Active
57
Strategic Position
30.4009° N, 130.9758° E
Azimuth: 60°–120° (LEO, GTO, SSO via dogleg)
30.40°N — moderate-latitude pad; ~7% GTO penalty vs. Cape Canaveral but Pacific overwater range gives broad azimuth flexibility
Future Milestones
- 2026
MMX (Martian Moons eXploration) sample-return launch to Phobos
- 2027
Epsilon S return to flight after 2023 test failure
- 2028
H3 cadence ramp to 6+ flights/year supporting commercial GTO and HTV-X
About
Tanegashima Space Center is Japan's largest launch facility, often called the most beautiful rocket launch site in the world due to its tropical island setting. Operated by JAXA, it serves as the primary site for H-IIA, H-IIB, and the new H3 launch vehicle. It has supported Japan's most ambitious space missions.
Key Features
Japan's primary orbital launch facility on a scenic southern island
Yoshinobu Launch Complex supports H-IIA/H-IIB/H3 vehicles
Coastal location with launches over the Pacific Ocean
Often called the most beautiful launch site in the world
Supports satellite, ISS resupply, and deep space missions
Rockets That Launch Here
Companies Operating Here
Orbit Types
Notable Launches
Hayabusa2 (2014) — Asteroid sample return from Ryugu
SELENE/Kaguya (2007) — Lunar orbiter mission
HTV Kounotori ISS resupply missions
H3 maiden flight (2024) — Japan's next-generation rocket
SLIM (2024) — Smart Lander for Investigating Moon
Upcoming Launches From This Site
Next missions scheduled to fly from Tanegashima Space Center
- Provider
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
- Rocket
- H3-30
- NET
- Pad
- Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2
- Provider
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
- Rocket
- H3-24
- NET
- Pad
- Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2
- Provider
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
- Rocket
- H3-24
- NET
- Pad
- Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2
- Provider
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
- Rocket
- H3-24
- NET
- Pad
- Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2
Recent Launches From This Site
Most recent missions flown from Tanegashima Space Center
- H-IIA 202 | IGS Radar 7Mitsubishi Heavy IndustriesSuccess
- H3-22 | ALOS-3 (Maiden flight)Mitsubishi Heavy IndustriesFailure
- H-IIA 202 | XRISM & SLIMJapan Aerospace Exploration AgencySuccess
- H-IIA 202 | IGS Optical 8Mitsubishi Heavy IndustriesSuccess
- H3-22 | VEP 4, CE-SAT-1E & TIRSATMitsubishi Heavy IndustriesSuccess
- H3-22 | Advanced Land Observing Satellite-4 (ALOS-4)Mitsubishi Heavy IndustriesSuccess