H3 maiden flight fails; second-stage engine ignition fault loses ALOS-3 satellite

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI)/H3 Launch Vehicle

H3's maiden flight on March 7, 2023 failed when second-stage LE-5C engine failed to ignite due to electrical circuit fault. ALOS-3 Earth-observation satellite was lost. JAXA and MHI redesigned systems for second test.