What we know!

Up, up and off! A Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV), which measures over six metres long and 85 cm wide, weighed in at 900 kilos, and in its super feat, reached an altitude of almost 300 metres with liquid fuel propulsion. The purpose of this launch and landing was for Honda to demonstrate clearly key technologies that are essential for rocket reusability.

Airborne for about a minute, the RLV was then brought back down to a point within 37 cm of the designated landing spot – quite impressive to say the least!

Honda has been hard at work on creating an RLV, different from a conventional “expendable launch vehicle” (ELV) to ferry small satellites into orbit for about six years, all part of a broader push into what they term the “mobility of the future.”

Honda is not alone in this push beyond Earth, and is fittingly part of an existing landscape. Brands like Toyota, GM and Hyundai-Kia, are already teaming up with space-related mates, making machines heading upward.

This move by Honda, while somewhat surprising considering its timing seemingly out of nowhere, only adds to the competition – which is a good thing overall. What is also a plus is that Honda stands out from this competition in the fact that they have been successful in making their rocket reusable, often a struggle for others. In fact, making it reusable is considered one of the most important aspects of making access to space cheap.

Honda has seen its place within this growing market, with their work in the rocket realm dating back to 2021, with their experience with the sub-components that go into rockets even more extensive. In fact, this transition from component supplier to rocket builder was “inspired by the dream of young Honda engineers,” according to a press release. Fulfilling these young engineers’ vision at Honda’s first test launch on June 17 was momentous. In just 56.6 seconds, launch and landing was realized, with data collected so as to inform the next round of testing.

This is more than a notch in the belt of Honda – this is yet another way they innovate to the highest level with their reach, anything from lawnmowers to motorcycles and everything in

between. And, the automaker already employs tens of thousands of engineers, an added plus over its would-be competitors. Considered a more-than-capable entrant into this entire realm, it does remain to be seen, though, what impact they will have overall.

What is known though is that the test has been completed, and completed successfully, the first time Honda has landed a rocket after reaching an altitude of nearly 300 meters. It did so with the highest priority on safety, establishing a restricted area with a 1-kilometer radius. The rocket itself was also equipped with a safety system to prevent deviation from a pre-defined flight corridor, speed and altitude conditions and ensuring no impact beyond the restricted area.

By taking on this technological challenge – and meeting it head on – Honda is proving its worth in this area, but research is still in the fundamental phases with no decisions yet made for the commercialization of these rocket technologies. Progress will continue, though, with a development goal of realizing technological capability to enable a suborbital launch by 2029.

Another step forward and upward in what is a meaningful endeavor, and Honda just keeps surprising the world. Thrusting ahead and beyond, they keep an eye on the future!