Yoshinobu Launch Complex (abbreviated LA-Y) is a rocket launch site at the Tanegashima Space Center on Tanegashima island in Japan.

History The Yoshinobu Launch Complex was built in the early 1990s to support launches of larger medium-lift launch vehicles, as the existing Osaki Launch Complex had been designed for small-lift launch vehicles. The Yoshinobu complex was initially developed for the H-II launch vehicle and has since supported launches of the H-IIA, H-IIB, and H3 rockets.

Facilities The complex consists of two launch pads: LA-Y1: previously used for H-II and H-IIA launches, planned to support H3 in the future LA-Y2: used for H3 launches, previously used for H-IIB launches

The site includes a vehicle assembly building (VAB), where launch vehicles delivered from manufacturing facilities are assembled, inspected, and prepared for launch. The building can accommodate the simultaneous assembly of two launch vehicles. Rockets are assembled atop a mobile launcher platform (ML), after which the payload and payload fairing are installed before rollout to the launch pad. The VAB is tall, wide, and meters deep. The rocket is transported to the launch pad about twelve hours before launch. Transport from the assembly building to pad takes approximately thirty minutes.

The complex also contains the Yoshinobu Block House, located approximately from the launch pads, next to the VAB. The launch control room is located underground, where launch operations and countdown procedures are remotely monitored and controlled.

The Yoshinobu Firing Test Stand is used for ground testing of first-stage rocket engines. It is currently used to test the LE-9 engine developed for the H3 launch vehicle.

Launch statistics LA-Y1 All launches until March 2003 operated by NASDA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. All launches afterwards operated by JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. No.DateTime (UTC)Launch vehicleConfigurationPayloadResultRemarks13 February 199422:20H-IIH-IIVEP-1 and OREXMaiden flight of the H-II family and from the Yoshinobu complex. Reentry demonstrator for OREX, testing various components to be used for the HOPE-X program..228 August 199407:50H-IIH-IIETS-VI318 March 199508:01H-IIH-IIGMS-5 and Space Flyer UnitSpace Flyer Unit was retrieved and returned to Earth by Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1996, as part of STS-72.417 August 199601:53H-IIH-IIADEOS I, Fuji-OSCAR 29, and JAS-2527 November 199721:27H-IIH-IITropical Rainfall Measuring Mission and ETS-VIIPart of Mission to Planet Earth for TRMM, designed to study precipitation in the tropics. Collaboration between JAXA and NASA.621 February 199807:55H-IIH-IICOMETSCooling system issues led to premature second stage engine shutdown during geostationary transfer burn, leaving payload stranded in low Earth orbit. Onboard thrusters compensated and allowed for some operations to proceed.715 November 199907:29H-IIH-IIMTSAT-1Part of the Himawari series of geostationary weather satellites. Impeller failure led to premature engine shutdown 239 seconds after launch, leading to failure to achieve orbit. Final launch of the baseline H-II.829 August 200107:00H-IIAH-IIA 202VEP-2Maiden flight of the H-IIA. Carried boilerplate payload.94 February 200202:45H-IIAH-IIA 2024VEP-3 and MDS-11010 September 200208:20H-IIAH-IIA 2024USERS and DRTS 1114 December 200201:31H-IIAH-IIA 202ADEOS II, WEOS, FedSat 1, and Micro LabSat 11228 March 200301:27H-IIAH-IIA 2024IGS-Optical 1 and IGS-Radar 11329 November 200304:33H-IIAH-IIA 2024IGS-Optical 2 and IGS-Radar 2Gas leak led to failure of a solid rocket booster jettison, with added weigh leading to failure to achieve orbit.1426 February 200509:25H-IIAH-IIA 2022MTSAT-1RPart of the Himawari series of geostationary weather satellites.1524 January 200601:33H-IIAH-IIA 2022ALOS1618 February 200606:27H-IIAH-IIA 2024MTSAT-2Part of the Himawari series of geostationary weather satellites.1711 September 200604:35H-IIAH-IIA 202IGS-Optical 21818 December 200606:32H-IIAH-IIA 204ETS-VIII1924 February 200704:41H-IIAH-IIA 2024IGS-Radar 2 and IGS-Optical 3V2014 September 200701:31H-IIAH-IIA 2022SELENEAlso known as Kaguya, designed to explore the Moon. Second spacecraft from Japan to enter lunar orbit, after Hiten. First launch from Tanegashima to another celestial body.2123 February 200808:55H-IIAH-IIA 2024WINDS2223 January 200903:54H-IIAH-IIA 202GOSAT and othersFirst satellite dedicated to the observation of greenhouse gases.2328 November 200901:21H-IIAH-IIA 202IGS-Optical 32420 May 201021:58H-IIAH-IIA 202Akatsuki, IKAROS, and othersPart of the PLANET series of spacecraft fort Akatsuki, designed to explore Venus and study its atmosphere. Failed to initially enter Venusian orbit in 2010, but managed to return and successfully entered orbit in 2015. First successful demonstration of solar sail technology beyond LEO for IKAROS. First launch from Tanegashima to enter heliocentric orbit.2511 September 201011:17H-IIAH-IIA 202QZS-12623 September 201104:36H-IIAH-IIA 202IGS-Optical 42712 December 201101:21H-IIAH-IIA 202IGS-Radar 32817 May 201216:39H-IIAH-IIA 202GCOM-W1, KOMPSAT-3, SDS-4, and HORYU-22927 January 201304:40H-IIAH-IIA 202IGS-Radar 4 and IGS-Optical 5V3027 February 201418:37H-IIAH-IIA 202Global Precipitation Measurement and othersCollaboration between JAXA and NASA. Successor to TPMM, designed to make frequent observations of rainfall.3124 May 201403:05H-IIAH-IIA 202ALOS-2 and others327 October 201405:16H-IIAH-IIA 202Himawari 8Part of the Himawari series of geostationary weather satellites.333 December 201404:22H-IIAH-IIA 202Hayabusa2 and othersSample-return mission, designed to collect asteroid sediment from 162173 Ryugu and return it to Earth. Successor to the previous Haybusa mission. 341 February 201501:21H-IIAH-IIA 202IGS-Radar Spare3526 March 201501:21H-IIAH-IIA 202IGS-Optical 53624 November 201506:50H-IIAH-IIA 204Telstar 12 Vantage3717 February 201608:45H-IIAH-IIA 202Hitomi and othersSpace telescope designed to conduct x-ray astronomy. Launch was a success, but attitude control problems led to spacecraft failure 37 days after launch.382 November 201606:20H-IIAH-IIA 202Himawari 9Part of the Himawari series of geostationary weather satellites.3924 January 201707:44H-IIAH-IIA 204DSN-24017 March 201701:20H-IIAH-IIA 202IGS-Radar 5411 June 201700:17H-IIAH-IIA 202QZS-24219 August 201705:29H-IIAH-IIA 204QZS-3439 October 201722:01H-IIAH-IIA 202QZS-44423 December 201701:26H-IIAH-IIA 202GCOM-C and SLATS4527 February 201804:34H-IIAH-IIA 202IGS-Optical 64612 June 201804:20H-IIAH-IIA 202IGS-Radar 64729 October 201804:08H-IIAH-IIA 202GOSAT-2 and others489 February 202001:34H-IIAH-IIA 202IGS-Optical 74919 July 202021:58H-IIAH-IIA 202Emirates Mars MissionAlso known as Hope, designed to explore Mars. Made the United Arab Emirates the fifth nation to enter areocentric orbit. Final H-II series launch into interplanetary space.5029 November 202007:25H-IIAH-IIA 202JDRS/LUCAS5126 October 202102:19H-IIAH-IIA 202QZS-1R5222 December 202115:32H-IIAH-IIA 204Inmarsat-6 F15326 January 202301:50H-IIAH-IIA 202IGS-Radar 7546 September 202323:42H-IIAH-IIA 202XRISM and SLIMCollaboration between NASA, ESA, and JAXA for XRISM, a space telescope designed to perform x-ray astronomy. Lunar lander for SLIM, making Japan the fifth nation to successfully land on the Moon. Also set non-RTG record for staying operational on the Lunar surface, at 3 months and 10 days. Final H-II series launch beyond LEO.5512 January 202404:44H-IIAH-IIA 202IGS-Optical 85626 September 202405:24H-IIAH-IIA 202IGS-Radar 85728 June 202516:33H-IIAH-IIA 202GOSAT-GWFinal launch of the H-IIA, and last flight of an H-II series launch vehicle.

LA-Y2 All flights operated by JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. No.DateTime (UTC)Launch vehicleConfigurationPayloadResultRemarks110 September 200917:01H-IIBH-IIBHTV Demonstration FlightMaiden flight of the H-IIB and from LA-Y2. First launch of the H-II Transfer Vehicle, going to the International Space Station. Made Tanegashima the fourth launch site (after Baikonur, Cape Canaveral/KSC, and Kourou) to send a payload to the ISS.222 January 201105:37H-IIBH-IIBKounotori 2ISS resupply flight.321 July 201202:06H-IIBH-IIBKounotori 3ISS resupply flight.43 August 201319:48H-IIBH-IIBKounotori 4ISS resupply flight.519 August 201511:50H-IIBH-IIBKounotori 5ISS resupply flight.69 December 201613:26H-IIBH-IIBKounotori 6ISS resupply flight.722 September 201817:52H-IIBH-IIBKounotori 7ISS resupply flight.824 September 201916:05H-IIBH-IIBKounotori 8ISS resupply flight.920 May 202017:31H-IIBH-IIBKounotori 9ISS resupply flight. Final H-IIB launch and last flight of the H-II Transfer Vehicle.107 March 202301:37H3H3‑22SALOS-3Maiden flight of the H3. Electrical circuit failure caused second stage engine to not ignite, leading to failure of placing payload into orbit.1117 February 202400:22H3H3‑22SVEP-4First successful H3 launch. Boilerplate payload, plus carried two rideshares.121 July 202403:06H3H3‑22SALOS-4134 November 202406:48H3H3‑22SDSN-3142 February 202508:30H3H3‑22SQZS-61526 October 202500:00H3H3-24WHTV-X1First launch of the HTV-X spacecraft, going to the International Space Station.1622 December 202501:51H3H3‑22SQZS-5Payload support structure failed during fairing separation, leading to loss of payload before vehicle made orbit.1712 June 202600:53H3H3‑30SVEP-5Boilerplate payload, plus carried six rideshares.1810 August 202619:23H3H3‑22SQZS-7

Upcoming launches +DateLaunch vehiclePayload19 October 2026H3Martian Moons eXploration

See also

References