Honda is entering the space race in a big way. Last week, the company announced it successfully launched and landed an experimental rocket, the latest major step in the automaker’s space-related projects.

The successful test, which took place in Taiki Town, Japan, marks Honda’s first-ever rocket landing. This marks a big move for a company that isn’t necessarily known for space travel, and is aiming to utilize its expertise in engineering and automation to go beyond the car.

A First Test Flight

According to the official press release, the rocket reached an altitude of 890 feet and landed smoothly. It landed exactly 37 centimeters from the intended point, meaning it was right on target. The rocket’s landing success demonstrates the potential Honda could have in space exploration.

The rocket, which stands at 6.4 meters tall and weighs 1,270 kilograms when launched, went up for 56.6 seconds. During this time, it successfully demonstrated vertical lift, flight control, and landing — three important elements in any reusable launch system.

The rocket’s four legs, which are retractable, served two purposes: supporting the vehicle at liftoff and helping it land with precision. This is a big step for a company that, until recently, hadn’t made any public moves in space travel.

A Long History of Space

This may be a surprise to some, but Honda’s foray into space isn’t new. In fact, the company first announced its space project in 2021. However, since then, it’s mostly kept quiet about the majority of its rocket development.

The fact that this rocket is unique is that Honda is using technology from other sectors, namely from its automated driving systems. These high-precision technologies, originally meant for safe driving and navigation, are now being used for rocket navigation and control.

Space exploration isn’t a matter of prestige for Honda.

The company cites the demand for satellite infrastructure, which could help several of its other businesses in the future — including connectivity, logistics, and automated driving. With satellites providing crucial data transmission, navigation, and communication services, having a launch pad in-house could give Honda a leg up in a quickly expanding market.

That said, the company isn’t being too confident. It mentioned in its press release that the project is still in the fundamental research phase, and there are no decisions made about commercialization.

“Although Honda rocket research is still in the fundamental research phase, and no decisions have been made regarding commercialization of these rocket technologies, Honda will continue making progress in the fundamental research with a technology development goal of realizing technological capability to enable a suborbital launch by 2029,” the company said.

Going Further in 2029

Honda’s long-term plan is to reach a suborbital launch by 2029. For those wondering, a suborbital flight crosses the Kármán line — roughly 100 kilometers above sea level — but doesn’t enter orbit. It’s an important step in space exploration and opens the door for testing, satellite payloads, and even manned missions in the future.

However, suborbital flights don’t take satellites into orbit. To do that, Honda would need to develop a more powerful, complicated system — and that likely requires more money and technology. The company hasn’t confirmed if it will enter the crowded orbital launch market, which is dominated by SpaceX and Blue Origin.

That said, this week’s test proves Honda is serious. It has the tech foundation, the capabilities, and now the flight data to make it happen.

The Launching Town

Taiki Town, where the launch took place, is becoming known as Japan’s “space town.” Efforts from local governments, public, and private companies — including the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) — are transforming the rural area into a booming hub for aerospace technology.

The partnership between Honda and Taiki Town is an example of corporate and community efforts coming together to push forward Japan’s space industry.

Final thoughts

For Honda, this is just the beginning. Whether or not it gets into the commercial launch market, this first rocket landing places it in a different class of private space players.

And with a long-term plan set for 2029, the next few years will be crucial — not just in terms of technological advancement, but also deciding Honda’s place in the ever-changing space race.

One thing is clear, though: the automaker isn’t just driving on the road anymore. It’s looking up.