H3 to launch next ispace lunar lander mission
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SpaceNews
July 29, 2026

H3 to launch next ispace lunar lander mission

Quick Summary

Japanese lunar lander developer ispace has selected the H3 rocket to launch its next mission in 2028, creating what the companies called Japan’s first private lunar transportation system. The post H3 to launch next ispace lunar lander mission appeared first on SpaceNews.

Space Explainer: The ISS & Life in Orbit

The International Space Station has been continuously staffed since November 2000, making it the longest-running human outpost off Earth. It orbits roughly 400km up, circling the planet every 90 minutes at about 28,000 km/h — meaning the crew sees a sunrise or sunset every 45 minutes.

Crew members typically rotate every 5-6 months, arriving and departing on Soyuz or Crew Dragon spacecraft. Their days are tightly scheduled around scientific experiments in microgravity, station maintenance, and roughly 2.5 hours of mandatory daily exercise to counteract the bone and muscle loss that comes from living without gravity.

Track the ISS Crew Live