Japanese car manufacturer Honda is hoping to join an elite club of companies that launch reusable rockets after carrying out a successful test.
During a one-minute flight on Tuesday, an experimental rocket reached an altitude of 271.4 metres before descending within 37cm of the target point.
The successful test places Honda in a small but increasing group of companies, such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, China’s iSpace and Europe’s PLD Space, that regularly launch or are actively developing reusable rockets.
Honda said its programme was still in the research phase and that no decisions have been made for commercial operations, but the short-term goal was to carry out suborbital flights by 2029.
Sahith Madara, founder of advisory firm Bumi & Space, said the company could tap into the growing market for small satellite launches, including suborbital and low-Earth orbit missions for observation satellites and technology testing.
“It’s about getting small satellites up quickly, reliably and affordably,” he said. “And if Honda brings the same reliability to rockets as they do to their cars, we might be looking at the first launch provider where everything runs exactly on schedule.”
From cars to rockets
Honda’s entry into space flight may seem unexpected but it builds on decades of engineering expertise.
“What makes this interesting is that Honda isn’t starting from scratch,” said Mr Madara. “They already know how to build robots, engines and autonomous systems at scale, which space start-ups often struggle with.
“So, while others are still proving they can launch, Honda is already thinking about how to land, recover and repeat. That kind of thinking matters as Japan ramps up its space ambitions, aiming to double the size of its space sector in the next decade.”
The test took place in Taiki Town, a growing hub for aerospace research in Hokkaido where the Japanese space agency Jaxa and companies test latest technology.
Japan has been encouraging industry leaders like Honda and Toyota to play a larger role in its space programme. Toyota, for example, is working with Jaxa to build a crewed lunar rover.
“We are pleased that Honda has made another step forward in our research on reusable rockets with this successful completion of a launch and landing test,” said Toshihiro Mibe, global chief executive of Honda.
Reusable rockets
SpaceX pioneered reusable rockets with its Falcon 9 system, transforming the space industry by lowering launch costs and increasing the frequency of missions.
Blue Origin, founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, has successfully flown and landed its New Shepard rocket several times on crewed suborbital missions.
It is also looking to start commercial operations of its much larger orbital vehicle, New Glenn.
In China, iSpace became the country’s first company to reach orbit and is now developing rockets with vertical landing capabilities, as Beijing encourages its private sector to compete globally in the growing launch market.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Test squad: Azhar Ali (captain), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan(wicketkeeper), Musa Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Yasir Shah
Twenty20 squad: Babar Azam (captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Musa Khan, Shadab Khan, Usman Qadir, Wahab Riaz
SCORES
Yorkshire Vikings 144-1 in 12.5 overs
(Tom Kohler 72 not out, Harry Broook 42 not out)
bt Hobart Hurricanes 140-7 in 20 overs
(Caleb Jewell 38, Sean Willis 35, Karl Carver 2-29, Josh Shaw 2-39)
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
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MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Third-place play-off: New Zealand v Wales, Friday, 1pm
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
