TOKYO - Japan's H3 rocket made a successful return to flight on Friday, marking the first use of its new lower-cost design. The achievement provides a vital boost for the nation's main launch vehicle, which has encountered prior setbacks in a rapidly evolving global space sector.

The vehicle lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center on a southwestern Japanese island early Friday, with its second stage reaching the intended orbit as confirmed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency during the live broadcast.

Six small satellites from universities and partner groups, carried aboard the rocket, were also reported as successfully deployed, according to JAXA.

This mission introduced the H3's new 30 configuration, featuring three liquid-fuel LE-9 engines without additional boosters. The setup aims to reduce expenses and improve competitiveness across different mission types, forming part of three variants tailored to varied customer requirements.

The launch represents the sixth success for the model, following two earlier failures that replaced the highly reliable H-2A rocket.

The H3 is intended to offer better value in a market led by players like SpaceX. Japan views reliable and affordable launch services as essential for advancing its space initiatives and supporting national security goals.

After an initial failure in March 2023 due to a second-stage ignition issue and another in December involving orbit placement problems, the rocket had been grounded. A further setback on Friday could have impacted upcoming projects, such as a planned Mars mission in 2028. The smaller Epsilon S rocket series also remains delayed after a 2024 test incident.

JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the joint developers, aim to reach an annual launch rate of six to eight missions with the H3.