ISTANBUL

Japan on Monday successfully launched an Earth observation satellite aboard a H3 rocket.

The satellite was put into orbit after being launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in the southwestern Kagoshima province.

After lifting off from the launch center, the domestically manufactured H3 rocket No. 3 separated from the satellite in around 17 minutes.

The launch was initially planned for Sunday but was delayed due to “expected bad weather,” Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

The Japanese Space Agency plans to launch H3 rockets six times a year.