H-IIA

H-IIA (H-2A) is a retired Japanese expendable launch system that was developed and operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) in collaboration with JAXA. It was primarily used to launch satellites into geostationary orbit, interplanetary probes, and Earth observation missions. Notable payloads launched by the H-IIA include Akatsuki, a Venus climate orbiter, and the Emirates Mars Mission, which was launched toward Mars in July 2020. All launches were conducted from the Tanegashima Space Center. The H-IIA made its maiden flight on 29 August 2001 and flew a total of 50 times before its retirement on 28 June 2025. It achieved 49 successful launches, including a streak of 44 consecutive missions from 2003 to 2025. Management and production responsibility was transferred from JAXA to MHI on 1 April 2007, with Flight 13, carrying the SELENE lunar orbiter, being the first mission under private operation. The H-IIA was derived from the earlier H-II launch vehicle and featured significant design changes aimed at improving reliability and reducing cost. Several variants were developed, with the final configuration, designated H2A 202, retired in 2025. A derivative design, the H-IIB, was introduced in 2009 and retired in 2020. The H-II series of launch vehicles have been succeeded by the H3 rocket, which conducted its first flight in March 2023.