Japan launches the smallest-ever rocket to carry a satellite into orbit

Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has successfully launched the smallest-ever rocket to carry a satellite into orbit, a Modest SS-520 sounding rocket modified with a third stage inside its nose cone to get its payload into orbit and entered a new spaceflight record.

The rocket was carrying TRICOM-IR, a three unit cubesat measuring not more than 13.6 inches long. Only a year ago JAXA’s original experiment with an SS-520 rocket ended in failure. Crews decided against igniting the second stage when the vehicle lost all elementry data a mere 20 seconds after takeoff, a investigation later found that there was a poorly protected electrical connection.