Honda has officially entered the reusable rocket game, and their first test flight was a smooth success.
In a milestone moment for Japanese private spaceflight, Honda’s experimental rocket took off from the Taiki Aerospace Research Field in Hokkaido, Japan, and made a pinpoint propulsive landing, touching down just 37 cm from its target after deploying its landing legs.
The rocket, standing 6.3 meters tall and weighing 1.3 tons with fuel, reached an altitude of 271 meters during its 56-second flight. It’s the first time Honda has successfully flown and landed a rocket, and the footage of the landing – which mirrors the iconic Falcon 9 landings from SpaceX – was clean, stable, and impressive.
Honda developed the rocket entirely in-house and has ambitions to push it into suborbital space by 2029. This goal puts them in the same league as Blue Origin’s New Shepard, which already flies suborbital missions with cargo and crew. Unlike SpaceX’s Falcon 9, which is the only orbital-class rocket capable of vertical landing and reuse, Honda’s vehicle currently targets the suborbital market – a logical step forward before entering the more demanding orbital field.
While Honda hasn’t disclosed commercialization plans yet, they’re clearly aiming to be a serious player in the reusable space tech arena. Their rocket includes a built-in safety system and flew within a tightly secured 1-km radius zone to ensure public safety – a professional move that shows Honda isn’t just experimenting but planning long-term involvement.
Currently, Japan’s orbital-class spaceflight is dominated by Mitsubishi (in collaboration with JAXA), IHI Corporation, and Space One – all of whom still rely on expendable rockets. Honda’s entry into the reusable rocket field could be a game-changer in bringing down launch costs and innovating Japan’s space industry.
Whether this means Honda will go head-to-head with SpaceX or carve its own niche remains to be seen. But today, it’s clear: the rocket landed, the footage speaks volumes, and Honda’s first giant leap into space just stuck the landing.