Car giant's space fight with Musk
One of the world's biggest car makers has joined Elon Musk in the race to the stars.
Honda has officially entered the space race alongside Musk's Space X, after Japan's second largest carmaker announced it had successfully launched a 'resusable rocket prototype'.
In the same week, a Space X rocket dramatically blew up while preparing to take flight, Honda showed it was serious about its space exploration ambitions, first mentioned four years ago.
Honda R&D, which is a subsidiary of Honda Motor Co. said it 'conducted a launch and landing test of an experimental reusable rocket developed independently by Honda'.
Musk's SpaceX rocket goes kablam. Picture X
The rocket, which was 6.3m long, 85cm in diameter and weighed 1312kg, reached an altitude of 271.4m and landed within 37cm of the target touchdown point after a flight of 57s.
According to Honda R&D, the purpose of the test, conducted at a Honda facility in Taiki Town on Hokkaido, the northern most of Japan's main islands, was the 'establishment of key technologies necessary for a reusable rocket'.
'This test marked the first launch and landing test conducted by Honda with an aim to demonstrate key technologies essential for rocket reusability, such as flight stability during ascent and descent, as well as landing capability,' Honda said in a statement.
Honda engineers prepare the rocket. Picture: Honda
Honda conducts a successful launch and landing test of its Experimental Reusable Rocket. Picture: Honda R&D
'Through this successful test, Honda achieved its intended rocket behaviours for the launch and landing, while obtaining data during the ascent and descent.'
Honda announced in 2021 that it was 'pursuing research and development in the field of space technologies' with the thought that its discoveries could also be used in Honda vehicles.
That includes in regard to automated driving systems and sustainable transportation.
Honda is aiming at a suborbital launch by 2029.
'We are pleased that Honda has made another step forward in our research on reusable rockets with this successful completion of a launch and landing test,' Global CEO of Honda Toshihiro Mibe said.
'We believe that rocket research is a meaningful endeavour that leverages Honda's technological strengths.
Honda said space tech is likely to be used in its future cars. Source: Supplied
'Honda will continue to take on new challenges—not only to offer our customers various services and value through our products, while addressing environmental and safety issues, but also to continue creating new value which will make people's time and place more enjoyable.'
Originally published as Car giant's space fight with Musk
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
9 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Honda Australia looks to China, US for new vehicles
Honda Australia's new boss is using his ties in his former United States post as the company considers vehicles from all corners of the globe – including China – for its future lineup. Newly installed Honda Australia CEO Jay Joseph told CarExpert his nearly three decades of working for the brand in North America mean he's been able to exploit connections to the US supply chain. This includes the Honda 0 Series EVs, slated to be made at the automaker's 'EV Hub' in the US from 2026, which are on the cards for Australia. The US is Honda's biggest market by a considerable margin, with North America making up 60 per cent of its 1,361,779 global sales in the six months to June 2025. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Products in the US include the unibody Ridgeline ute, as well as the roughly Subaru Outback-sized (and also unibody) Passport SUV and the related Pilot, a Toyota Kluger competitor. Honda Australia also plans to add its first electric vehicle (EV) to its lineup in the second half of 2026, but it hasn't confirmed what it will be. In the US, it produces the electric Prologue SUV which uses a platform borrowed from General Motors. So far this year, it's actually outselling its Chevrolet-branded cousin, the Blazer EV. Prologue sales were up 83 per cent in July, compared with the same month last year. In China, Honda has joint ventures with Dongfeng and GAC. Under these, it produces a raft of vehicles including EVs under the Ye sub-brand such as the electric GT fastback, as well as the Honda e:Ny1 electric SUV that's exported to countries including the UK and New Zealand. While none of these are confirmed – and the current-generation Ridgeline all but ruled out – the Australian office is now looking beyond its typical Japanese and Thai-sourced vehicles courtesy of Mr Joseph's background. "I've been in contact with my former colleagues there quite a bit and it's something we're considering – we need to take a look at that. We need to look everywhere we can for products that are relevant to this market," he said."A lot of the tastes in the US are quite comparable and a good fit. "Australia is an interesting market because I would say it's more of a western market in terms of preferences and behaviors even though it's located here in Asia-Oceania." "And I think that suits it well to some products from other parts that maybe have been considered, but maybe I've got a chance to lobby for them a little bit stronger than in the past." Honda's manufacturing footprint in the US includes four main vehicle factories, with its Marysville, Ohio, plant being the oldest. It's been producing vehicles since 1982. It also has design and engineering centres as part of 18 major facilities across its US operations. "We can do full vehicle development in the United States comparable with GM (General Motors) and Ford – and I would say we're more capable than anybody else there," Mr Joseph told CarExpert. "This is all part of Honda becoming a global company and leveraging its management resources on a more global basis." The Ridgeline, Passport and Pilot have always been built exclusively in left-hand drive, but Honda Australia did source one vehicle from North America in the past. That was the Canadian-built MDX, a rebadged large SUV from Honda's premium Acura division, sold here from 2003 to 2006. MORE: Everything Honda Content originally sourced from: Honda Australia's new boss is using his ties in his former United States post as the company considers vehicles from all corners of the globe – including China – for its future lineup. Newly installed Honda Australia CEO Jay Joseph told CarExpert his nearly three decades of working for the brand in North America mean he's been able to exploit connections to the US supply chain. This includes the Honda 0 Series EVs, slated to be made at the automaker's 'EV Hub' in the US from 2026, which are on the cards for Australia. The US is Honda's biggest market by a considerable margin, with North America making up 60 per cent of its 1,361,779 global sales in the six months to June 2025. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Products in the US include the unibody Ridgeline ute, as well as the roughly Subaru Outback-sized (and also unibody) Passport SUV and the related Pilot, a Toyota Kluger competitor. Honda Australia also plans to add its first electric vehicle (EV) to its lineup in the second half of 2026, but it hasn't confirmed what it will be. In the US, it produces the electric Prologue SUV which uses a platform borrowed from General Motors. So far this year, it's actually outselling its Chevrolet-branded cousin, the Blazer EV. Prologue sales were up 83 per cent in July, compared with the same month last year. In China, Honda has joint ventures with Dongfeng and GAC. Under these, it produces a raft of vehicles including EVs under the Ye sub-brand such as the electric GT fastback, as well as the Honda e:Ny1 electric SUV that's exported to countries including the UK and New Zealand. While none of these are confirmed – and the current-generation Ridgeline all but ruled out – the Australian office is now looking beyond its typical Japanese and Thai-sourced vehicles courtesy of Mr Joseph's background. "I've been in contact with my former colleagues there quite a bit and it's something we're considering – we need to take a look at that. We need to look everywhere we can for products that are relevant to this market," he said."A lot of the tastes in the US are quite comparable and a good fit. "Australia is an interesting market because I would say it's more of a western market in terms of preferences and behaviors even though it's located here in Asia-Oceania." "And I think that suits it well to some products from other parts that maybe have been considered, but maybe I've got a chance to lobby for them a little bit stronger than in the past." Honda's manufacturing footprint in the US includes four main vehicle factories, with its Marysville, Ohio, plant being the oldest. It's been producing vehicles since 1982. It also has design and engineering centres as part of 18 major facilities across its US operations. "We can do full vehicle development in the United States comparable with GM (General Motors) and Ford – and I would say we're more capable than anybody else there," Mr Joseph told CarExpert. "This is all part of Honda becoming a global company and leveraging its management resources on a more global basis." The Ridgeline, Passport and Pilot have always been built exclusively in left-hand drive, but Honda Australia did source one vehicle from North America in the past. That was the Canadian-built MDX, a rebadged large SUV from Honda's premium Acura division, sold here from 2003 to 2006. MORE: Everything Honda Content originally sourced from: Honda Australia's new boss is using his ties in his former United States post as the company considers vehicles from all corners of the globe – including China – for its future lineup. Newly installed Honda Australia CEO Jay Joseph told CarExpert his nearly three decades of working for the brand in North America mean he's been able to exploit connections to the US supply chain. This includes the Honda 0 Series EVs, slated to be made at the automaker's 'EV Hub' in the US from 2026, which are on the cards for Australia. The US is Honda's biggest market by a considerable margin, with North America making up 60 per cent of its 1,361,779 global sales in the six months to June 2025. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Products in the US include the unibody Ridgeline ute, as well as the roughly Subaru Outback-sized (and also unibody) Passport SUV and the related Pilot, a Toyota Kluger competitor. Honda Australia also plans to add its first electric vehicle (EV) to its lineup in the second half of 2026, but it hasn't confirmed what it will be. In the US, it produces the electric Prologue SUV which uses a platform borrowed from General Motors. So far this year, it's actually outselling its Chevrolet-branded cousin, the Blazer EV. Prologue sales were up 83 per cent in July, compared with the same month last year. In China, Honda has joint ventures with Dongfeng and GAC. Under these, it produces a raft of vehicles including EVs under the Ye sub-brand such as the electric GT fastback, as well as the Honda e:Ny1 electric SUV that's exported to countries including the UK and New Zealand. While none of these are confirmed – and the current-generation Ridgeline all but ruled out – the Australian office is now looking beyond its typical Japanese and Thai-sourced vehicles courtesy of Mr Joseph's background. "I've been in contact with my former colleagues there quite a bit and it's something we're considering – we need to take a look at that. We need to look everywhere we can for products that are relevant to this market," he said."A lot of the tastes in the US are quite comparable and a good fit. "Australia is an interesting market because I would say it's more of a western market in terms of preferences and behaviors even though it's located here in Asia-Oceania." "And I think that suits it well to some products from other parts that maybe have been considered, but maybe I've got a chance to lobby for them a little bit stronger than in the past." Honda's manufacturing footprint in the US includes four main vehicle factories, with its Marysville, Ohio, plant being the oldest. It's been producing vehicles since 1982. It also has design and engineering centres as part of 18 major facilities across its US operations. "We can do full vehicle development in the United States comparable with GM (General Motors) and Ford – and I would say we're more capable than anybody else there," Mr Joseph told CarExpert. "This is all part of Honda becoming a global company and leveraging its management resources on a more global basis." The Ridgeline, Passport and Pilot have always been built exclusively in left-hand drive, but Honda Australia did source one vehicle from North America in the past. That was the Canadian-built MDX, a rebadged large SUV from Honda's premium Acura division, sold here from 2003 to 2006. MORE: Everything Honda Content originally sourced from: Honda Australia's new boss is using his ties in his former United States post as the company considers vehicles from all corners of the globe – including China – for its future lineup. Newly installed Honda Australia CEO Jay Joseph told CarExpert his nearly three decades of working for the brand in North America mean he's been able to exploit connections to the US supply chain. This includes the Honda 0 Series EVs, slated to be made at the automaker's 'EV Hub' in the US from 2026, which are on the cards for Australia. The US is Honda's biggest market by a considerable margin, with North America making up 60 per cent of its 1,361,779 global sales in the six months to June 2025. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Products in the US include the unibody Ridgeline ute, as well as the roughly Subaru Outback-sized (and also unibody) Passport SUV and the related Pilot, a Toyota Kluger competitor. Honda Australia also plans to add its first electric vehicle (EV) to its lineup in the second half of 2026, but it hasn't confirmed what it will be. In the US, it produces the electric Prologue SUV which uses a platform borrowed from General Motors. So far this year, it's actually outselling its Chevrolet-branded cousin, the Blazer EV. Prologue sales were up 83 per cent in July, compared with the same month last year. In China, Honda has joint ventures with Dongfeng and GAC. Under these, it produces a raft of vehicles including EVs under the Ye sub-brand such as the electric GT fastback, as well as the Honda e:Ny1 electric SUV that's exported to countries including the UK and New Zealand. While none of these are confirmed – and the current-generation Ridgeline all but ruled out – the Australian office is now looking beyond its typical Japanese and Thai-sourced vehicles courtesy of Mr Joseph's background. "I've been in contact with my former colleagues there quite a bit and it's something we're considering – we need to take a look at that. We need to look everywhere we can for products that are relevant to this market," he said."A lot of the tastes in the US are quite comparable and a good fit. "Australia is an interesting market because I would say it's more of a western market in terms of preferences and behaviors even though it's located here in Asia-Oceania." "And I think that suits it well to some products from other parts that maybe have been considered, but maybe I've got a chance to lobby for them a little bit stronger than in the past." Honda's manufacturing footprint in the US includes four main vehicle factories, with its Marysville, Ohio, plant being the oldest. It's been producing vehicles since 1982. It also has design and engineering centres as part of 18 major facilities across its US operations. "We can do full vehicle development in the United States comparable with GM (General Motors) and Ford – and I would say we're more capable than anybody else there," Mr Joseph told CarExpert. "This is all part of Honda becoming a global company and leveraging its management resources on a more global basis." The Ridgeline, Passport and Pilot have always been built exclusively in left-hand drive, but Honda Australia did source one vehicle from North America in the past. That was the Canadian-built MDX, a rebadged large SUV from Honda's premium Acura division, sold here from 2003 to 2006. MORE: Everything Honda Content originally sourced from:
AU Financial Review
9 hours ago
- AU Financial Review
How Tasmania fits into the space race between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk
Tasmanians will be the first Australians to stream movies using new low-orbit satellites from Amazon after the National Broadband Network chose US billionaire Jeff Bezos' fledgling network over rival Elon Musk's more established one. The contract to provide satellite-powered services to some 300,000 existing NBN Co customers in remote and regional areas starting in mid-2026 marks a win for Bezos as he competes with Musk and his Starlink network.
Sydney Morning Herald
11 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
NBN Co snubs Elon, inks satellite deal with Bezos' Amazon
NBN Co has snubbed Elon Musk's Starlink to sign an agreement with Amazon, the US tech giant founded by fellow tech billionaire Jeff Bezos, in a deal to provide high-speed broadband to hundreds of thousands of Australian users from next year. Amazon's Project Kuiper will offer city-quality broadband to about 300,000 rural and regional Australian premises from the middle of 2026, via a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation of more than 3000 satellites. The deal promises high-quality broadband for rural and regional Australia, and means NBN Co will phase out its current ageing Sky Muster satellites by the early 2030s. Sky Muster had been providing broadband across remote areas of Australia but had been criticised by users for offering inferior speeds to traditional fixed-line broadband and newer rival satellite options such as Musk's Starlink. 'Today we can announce that NBN has reached agreement with Amazon's Project Kuiper to deliver city-quality broadband to remote Australia,' Communications Minister Anika Wells told journalists at a North Sydney press conference on Tuesday. 'The agreement will deliver high-speed broadband to regional, rural and remote Australia via Low Earth Orbit satellites, meaning Australians living anywhere will be better off, whether that is working from home, managing a regional business, accessing telehealth, video conferencing or online learning.' Loading NBN Co chief executive Ellie Sweeney said the government-owned company had carried out a rigorous selection process before deciding to partner with Amazon. Starlink, co-founded by Musk in 2019, has racked up more than 200,000 customers Australia-wide to date. Last week it suffered a global network outage that lasted for more than two hours. 'We're the default provider, so it's incumbent on us to be able to provide broadband access across Australia,' Sweeney said. 'We went through a pretty rigorous and a pretty compelling RFI [request for information] and RFP [request for proposal] process to provide wholesale broadband access via Low Earth Orbit.
