June 17, 2025 | 4:15 PM JST | Taiki Town, Hokkaido

In a major milestone for Japan’s private space industry, Honda has successfully launched and landed its first reusable rocket on June 17, 2025, at 4:15 PM JST. The test took place in Taiki Town, Hokkaido, a growing hub for aerospace innovation. Honda’s rocket achieved a vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL), marking the company’s official entry into the highly competitive field of reusable spaceflight. With this accomplishment, Honda becomes only the fourth organization worldwide to successfully land a VTVL-style rocket, joining the ranks of SpaceX, Blue Origin, and China’s LandSpace.

The experimental rocket used in the test was a compact vehicle, standing 6.3 meters tall with a diameter of 0.85 meters. At liftoff, it weighed 1,312 kilograms and carried out a brief vertical hop reaching an altitude of 271 meters. The rocket hovered for 56.6 seconds before executing a controlled descent, landing just 37 centimeters from the designated target. This level of precision was previously seen only in companies with significantly longer spaceflight histories. The mission was conducted with safety at its core—surrounded by a one-kilometer exclusion zone and featuring built-in safety protocols developed by Honda’s advanced engineering teams.

Honda’s achievement is not just a technical milestone—it’s also a strategic move. The company began exploring space technologies in 2021 as part of its long-term vision to expand its presence in mobility solutions beyond Earth. Its core engineering strengths in engine design, robotics, and automated control systems have now been translated into rocketry, enabling it to develop propulsion, guidance, and landing systems similar to those used in self-driving cars and humanoid robots. The company has been conducting hover tests and engine combustion trials for over a year, leading up to this successful integrated flight.

The reusable rocket was launched from a site in Taiki, which is fast becoming Japan’s version of Cape Canaveral. Backed by both government and private investors, the town is fostering a “space valley” environment, where companies like Honda, Interstellar Technologies, and the Innovative Space Carrier are developing commercial space technologies. The Japanese government, through its public-private space venture fund, has outlined ambitious goals for the country’s space sector, aiming to double its market value to over 8 trillion yen (approximately $55 billion) by the early 2030s. Honda’s successful test now gives Japan a stronger footing in this rapidly expanding sector.

In terms of global comparison, Honda’s test is considered a landmark. SpaceX’s early Grasshopper tests, Blue Origin’s New Shepard, and China’s LandSpace all followed similar “hop” testing strategies before scaling up. The ability to land within half a meter of a target shows Honda’s mastery over key variables like thrust vectoring, flight stability, and automated navigation. According to experts, these small-scale hops are foundational steps before moving to high-altitude and orbital tests.

Honda has already set its sights on a suborbital flight that reaches the Kármán line—100 kilometers above Earth’s surface—by 2029. That will require a larger vehicle, more fuel capacity, and more advanced navigation systems, but the current test puts them on a promising trajectory. CEO Toshihiro Mibe remarked that the company’s venture into space is part of its broader commitment to “creating new value in time and space”—suggesting that these technologies may ultimately support Honda’s mobility ecosystem, including satellite communications, autonomous vehicles, and space-based data platforms.

This achievement also underscores a major shift in the global space race. Once dominated by governments and specialized aerospace companies, the field is now being reshaped by industrial giants like Honda that bring deep manufacturing experience and strong R&D capabilities. The integration of rocket technology into Honda’s innovation roadmap not only diversifies the company’s portfolio but also positions it to serve new commercial markets, including satellite launches for small and medium payloads.

Public and media reactions have been largely positive. Tech publications such as The Verge and Reuters lauded Honda for joining a select group of companies capable of controlled reusable launches. Science and technology platforms noted the remarkable landing precision and the broader implications for Japan’s space ambitions. Online communities like Reddit expressed surprise and admiration, especially given Honda’s relatively quiet buildup to this launch.

Looking forward, Honda faces a new set of challenges: scaling the rocket for suborbital and potentially orbital missions, managing the economics of reusability, and defining its market niche in an increasingly crowded field. Yet, if this test is any indication, the company is well on its way to becoming a serious player in the new space economy. Honda’s rocket didn’t just land successfully—it also signaled a giant leap into the future of Japanese innovation.

As of June 17, 2025, the skies above Taiki witnessed more than just a technical demonstration—they witnessed history in the making.