Honda says growing expectations of a “data system in outer space” are going to increase the demand for rockets to launch satellites. So, the Japanese automaker quietly built one and tested it successfully.

Japan’s second-largest carmaker, Honda, has successfully tested an experimental reusable space rocket on the nothern Japanese island of Hokkaido, the company said in a surprise announcement.

“The test was completed successfully, the first time Honda landed a rocket after reaching an altitude of nearly 300 meters (1,000 feet),” the company said in a statement on Tuesday.

The carmaker aims to achieve suborbital space flight in 2029. In 2021, Honda said it was studying space technologies such as reusable rockets but made no announcements prior to Tuesday’s test

    • Crikeste@lemm.ee
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      7 days ago

      I don’t believe they have even hit space yet, the test was only from 1000 ft.

      Still, cool as hell.

      Wait. This is just more commodification of space.

      Fuck that. And I will be against it until we figure out our fucking shit down here on the ground.

    • Wanderer@lemm.ee
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      7 days ago

      I doubt that. Spacex is miles ahead of the rest and they have bigger plans.

      Sure they would rather have a monopoly on cheap rockets for as long as possible but they have always known people would be trying to catch them up

      • Lasherz@lemmy.world
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        7 days ago

        Yes, but Honda also builds nice things. They’re not the neighbors you want moving in next door if your business is making reliable and precise things cheaply.

        Maybe it doesn’t matter because SpaceX just lies on all their bids anyways

    • Jumuta@sh.itjust.works
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      8 days ago

      rivaling their … 8 year old technology

      not a fan of musk but spacex seriously leapfrogged everyone in the 2010s