Liftoff of the fourth H3 rocket from Tanegashima Space Center, carrying the Kirameki 3 communications satellite. Credit: JAXA

HELSINKI — Japan launched the Kirameki 3 communications satellite for defense purposes early Monday with the fourth flight of the H3 rocket.

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Andrew Jones covers China's space industry for SpaceNews. Andrew has previously lived in China and reported from major space conferences there. Based in Helsinki, Finland, he has written for National Geographic, New Scientist, Smithsonian Magazine, Sky...