Japanese automaker Honda wants to get in on the space race. This week, the company announced it had successfully tested a rocket built by its research and development division. The rocket launched and landed without any problems — it’s the first time the company has ever successfully launched a rocket and returned it to Earth safely.

But this wasn’t a rocket launching from an overseas launchpad. It happened in Taiki Town, Japan, a town that’s been developing into a growing space hub. The rocket climbed 890 feet above the ground and landed less than 37 centimeters from the target spot.

That wasn’t luck — it was precision engineering.

The rocket launched is a 20.9-foot tall piece of hardware that weighs more than 2,800 pounds when launching. The rocket climbed into the air for 56.6 seconds, a short but critical amount of time. That’s enough to demonstrate that the rocket can lift off vertically, and more importantly, stay stable and land where it’s supposed to.

That’s not the type of thing you’d expect from a company known for making vehicles on the ground. But the success of the test shows that Honda isn’t just exploring concepts — it’s building functional space hardware with serious potential.

From Cars to Space

Honda isn’t going into space blindly. The company announced in late 2021 that it wanted to start exploring space, but hasn’t talked much about its development. Now, after years of development, this test shows the first glimpse of what’s been happening behind the scenes.

Rather than creating a new ecosystem from scratch, Honda is leveraging technologies developed in other areas. The same technology used to keep Honda vehicles on the road is helping to control the rocket. The precision needed to keep self-driving cars moving is now being used to control the rocket’s lift-off, climb, and landing.

It’s an application that could happen across industries, and it’s working so far.

This rocket isn’t just a show of tech prowess. Honda is positioning itself for a world where satellites and space infrastructure will be critical for doing business. Whether it’s data, communication, or navigation, having access to the upper atmosphere will be increasingly valuable.

The rocket itself is still in early research and development stages. It’s not designed for putting satellites in orbit — just climbing high enough to break through Earth’s atmosphere. The next step would involve more than just building a vehicle — it would require launch vehicles, guidance, and new technologies.

That next step remains unclear. Honda hasn’t committed to turning its rocket program into a business. But this test flight sets it up to decide whether to launch.

The launch pad isn’t just a background for a company in a different field. Taiki Town is already transforming into one of Japan’s most important space innovation hubs. It’s in Hokkaido and has partnered with private companies and national agencies like JAXA to develop testing infrastructure, support centers, and even training programs.

As Honda becomes one of many companies testing rockets in Taiki Town, it’s quickly becoming one of Japan’s most important space innovation centers.

There’s a long road ahead. Honda is entering a competitive space that includes companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin that have been in the game for years. These companies have much more money and experience in launching and operating satellites. But what Honda brings is an expertise in manufacturing efficiency, robotics, and vehicle technology — an area that could set it apart as it moves forward.

This week’s test wasn’t a one-time experiment. It’s a signal that Honda is gearing up for a future far beyond the surface of Earth.