Honda just made history in the aerospace industry by completing the first successful test flight and landing of its experimental rocket, the company announced this week. In Taiki Town, Japan, the rocket took off and landed safely — a first for the company as it looks to go beyond its auto industry roots.

The automaker said the vehicle reached an altitude of 890 feet before safely touching down. The rocket, which stands at nearly 21 feet tall and weighs over 2,800 pounds when launched, maintained steady vertical lift, flight control, and landing in its test flight. These three milestones represent a crucial step for any launch system intended for reusability.

The retractable legs, which aided the vehicle’s lift-off and soft landing, were particularly important. They helped Honda land the vehicle safely and in a more controlled manner. The landing also marks a significant milestone for the automaker, as it had little to no public experience in space before this flight.

So, what’s next for Honda?

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen the company dip its toes into the space industry. In 2021, Honda revealed it was exploring a venture into the space industry. Since then, however, the company has been pretty quiet about its rocket development.

The part that stands out here is the reuse of technology from Honda’s other business lines. The company has been applying its automated driving and navigation systems from the road to the rocket industry. These high-precision technologies were designed for automotive use, but they now help guide the rocket’s flight path and land it safely.

Why Rockets?

So, why the shift to space?

Honda isn’t entering the space industry for glory. It has a clear rationale for its ambitions, pointing to the need for more satellite infrastructure, which could help multiple business lines in the future — like connectivity, logistics, and autonomous driving technology. With satellites becoming more crucial for data, navigation, and communications services, an in-house launch system could give Honda an edge in a rapidly expanding industry.

Still, the company remains modest. It stressed that the project is still in the fundamental research phase and has no final decisions regarding 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.

Honda has long-term goals for the year 2029. In other words, it aims to land a suborbital launch, which crosses the Kármán line (about 62 miles above sea level) but doesn’t enter orbit. It’s a significant step in space travel and could help pave the way for testing, payload satellite trials, and eventually a crewed mission.

The difference between a suborbital and orbital launch is significant. While suborbital flights don’t deliver satellites into orbit, they’re not enough for Honda to enter the highly competitive orbital launch market. And while it’s not yet decided if Honda will jump into the competitive orbital launch market, where giants like SpaceX and Blue Origin are battling for dominance, this test flight is an important step. It shows that Honda is serious about this.

The Taiki Town where the launch took place is quickly becoming Japan’s space town. With contributions from public and private sectors — including Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) — the rural area is becoming an innovative hub for aerospace industry.

The Honda-Taiki collaboration is an example of how companies and regions can come together to support each other’s growth and create a mutually beneficial partnership.

Final thoughts

This is only the beginning for Honda. Whether or not it decides to enter the commercial launch market, this is an important first step in a new industry. And with a 2029 goal set, the coming years will determine Honda’s place in the growing space race.

One thing is certain: Honda isn’t just sticking to the road. It’s aiming for the stars.