Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has secured a deal with French satellite company Eutelsat Group to provide multiple H3 rocket launches starting in 2027. This marks a significant international win for Japan’s state-backed H3 rocket project, which recently achieved a successful flight following a previous setback.
Being the world’s third-largest satellite operator by revenue, Eutelsat will be the second foreign client for H3, joining Britain’s Inmarsat. The detailed terms of the agreement, including costs and types of orbits for Eutelsat’s satellite launches, have not been disclosed.
MHI aims to decrease H3’s per-launch costs to ¥5 billion and increase the annual number of rocket launches to 10. The H3 rocket is a critical asset for Japan’s satellite missions and exploration endeavors, offering a cost-competitive alternative in the competitive market dominated by companies like SpaceX.
With the global demand for rockets on the rise, Eutelsat’s partnership with H3 positions it to compete in the low-earth orbit communications satellites sector, particularly against SpaceX’s Starlink unit. This collaboration comes amidst the launch of new rockets like Vulcan, Ariane 6, and the upcoming New Glenn by Blue Origin, illustrating the evolving landscape of space exploration.