Honda revs up space race after reusable rockets test success

Car maker lands experimental craft with pinpoint precision

Honda carried out a launch and landing of an experimental rocket on Tuesday. Photo: Honda

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.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 reusable rocket carrying a payload of Starlink v2-mini satellites lifts off from a spaceport in Florida. Reuters

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.