The launch of Japan's new H3 rocket will be postponed due to anticipated adverse weather conditions at the liftoff site in southwestern Japan, the country's space agency said on Tuesday.
The launch was initially scheduled for Thursday.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said that the new launch date for the No. 2 H3 rocket, which serves as the successor to the current mainstay H2A rocket, has not yet been determined.
The new H3 rocket features enhancements in its ignition system and is set to carry a mock satellite, mirroring the weight of the actual one loaded onto the No. 1 H3 launch vehicle, along with two microsatellites.
JAXA intends to use the launch project to verify the rocket's capability to control its positioning and deploy satellites, with activities taking place at the Tanegashima Space Center, according to local media reports.
During its maiden launch in March of the previous year, the No. 1 H3 rocket took off from the Tanegashima Space Center on Tanegashima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture. However, the mission was abruptly terminated when the rocket's second-stage engine failed to ignite, prompting a self-destruct sequence just minutes after liftoff.