Mitsubishi Heavy IndustriesH3-22Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2, Tanegashima Space Center, Japan
Michibiki 7 (QZS-7)
Launched
August 10, 2026 · 19:23 UTC
Image: JAXA
Summary
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ H3-22 rocket successfully launched Michibiki 7 (QZS-7) from Tanegashima, adding a satellite to Japan’s Quasi-Zenith Satellite System for improved navigation in urban canyons and mountainous terrain.
- Watch
- Vehicle
- H3-22 · Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Navigation · Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO)
- Milestone
- 7th H3-22 flight · 1st this yearMitsubishi Heavy Industries's 58th launch2nd this yearhumanity's 7,362nd orbital launch attempt189th orbital launch attempt this year
Webcast
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
QZS-7 · NORAD 100270 · 2026-182A · Space-Track
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- QZS-7
- Object ID
- 2026-182A
- Epoch
- 2026-09-09 08:01:02 UTC
- Mean motion
- 1.0028709 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.00746121
- Inclination
- 2.9709°
- Ascending node
- 301.0161°
- Arg. of perigee
- 358.7086°
- Mean anomaly
- 353.1052°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 33
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: GTO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Flight timeline
- T−0Liftoff
- T+1M56SSRB Separation
- T+3M44SFairing Separation
- T+4M59SMECO
- T+5M7SStage 2 Separation
- T+5M20SSES-1
- T+12M53SSECO-1
- T+24M28SSES-2
- T+28M50SSECO-2
- T+29M10SPayload Separation
About this launch
Michibiki 7 (QZS-7) launched on a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries H3-22 from Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2, Tanegashima Space Center, Japan on August 10, 2026 at 19:23 UTC. The launch window ran from 19:23 to 20:23 UTC. It was Mitsubishi Heavy Industries's 58th launch, 2nd this year and humanity's 7,362nd orbital launch attempt. It was the 7th H3-22 flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). It reached a 398 × 35,382 km orbit inclined 22.9°.
QZSS (Quasi Zenith Satellite System) is a Japanese satellite navigation system operating from inclined, elliptical geosynchronous orbits to achieve optimal high-elevation visibility in urban canyons and mountainous areas. The navigation system objective is to broadcast GPS-interoperable and augmentation signals as well as original Japanese (QZSS) signals from a three-spacecraft constellation. The navigation system objective is to broadcast GPS-interoperable and augmentation signals as well as original Japanese (QZSS) signals from a three-spacecraft constellation in inclined, elliptical geosynchronous orbits.
News
U.S. Space Force adds second surveillance sensor to Japanese constellationThe Aug. 10 launch of QZS-7 completes bilateral program to host U.S. sensors aboard Japanese navigation satellites
H3 launches navigation satelliteA Japanese H3 rocket successfully launched a navigation satellite Aug. 10, more than seven months after a similar launch ended in failure.
Launch Preview: Chinese failure opens busy international launch salvoThe week of Aug. 10 opened with an extraordinary Monday, four launches across three countries…
Pad
Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2, Tanegashima Space Center, Japan
18th launch from Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2, 2nd this year · 99th from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan
Local pad time at liftoff: Aug 11, 4:23 AM GMT+9, at night
18 launches from this pad · 99 from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan
59 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Tanegashima Space Center, JapanOpen in maps
Updates
Launch success.
Show 9 earlier updates
Spacecraft separation.
Cosmic_Penguin · 8/10/2026 · source
Liftoff.
Cosmic_Penguin · 8/10/2026 · source
Official Webcast by JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構 has started
LL2 · 8/10/2026 · source
Refined launch window.
Cosmic_Penguin · 8/9/2026 · source
Delayed to NET August 10 UTC due to launch site weather.
Cosmic_Penguin · 8/8/2026 · source
Rescheduled for NET August 9 UTC.
Cosmic_Penguin · 8/7/2026 · source
Delayed due to launch site weather (effects of Typhoon Dolphin).
Cosmic_Penguin · 8/3/2026 · source
NET August 6 UTC.
Cosmic_Penguin · 6/15/2026 · source
Delayed to TBD due to previous H3 launch failure.
Cosmic_Penguin · 1/7/2026 · source
Questions
When did Michibiki 7 (QZS-7) launch?
Michibiki 7 (QZS-7) launched on August 10, 2026 at 19:23 UTC. The launch window ran from 19:23 to 20:23 UTC.
Where can I watch Michibiki 7 (QZS-7)?
Coverage: 準天頂衛星システム「みちびき7号機」/H3ロケット9号機打上げライブ中継; 2026.8.11 3:30～ H３ロケット9号機 「みちびき7号機」打上げ H3 Rocket F9 QZS-7 Launch. Watch the replay
What rocket launched Michibiki 7 (QZS-7)?
H3-22, flown by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. H3-22 spec sheet
Where did Michibiki 7 (QZS-7) launch from?
Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2, Tanegashima Space Center, Japan. Liftoff was Aug 11, 4:23 AM GMT+9 local time at the pad.
What orbit did Michibiki 7 (QZS-7) reach?
It reached a 398 × 35,382 km orbit inclined 22.9°.