Move Over SpaceX, Honda Just Tested A Reusable Rocket And It Didn't Explode
In news that sounds almost straight out of an alternate universe, Honda, more famous for reliable Civics and fuss-free lawnmowers, has successfully launched and landed an experimental reusable rocket. Meanwhile, SpaceX, the old hand of the private space sector, is blowing things up (again), this time due to a pressure tank failure in the tenth Starship test.
On June 17, from Taiki Town in Hokkaido, Japan, Honda R&D Co., Ltd. unleashed its 6.3-meter (20.6 feet), 1,312-kilogram (wet; 2,892 pounds) reusable rocket. Developed entirely in-house, the rocket achieved its first successful landing after a rather modest hop of 271.4 m (890 ft). The flight duration was 56.6 seconds, and it landed within 37 centimeters (around 14.57 inches, or just over a foot) of its target. Honda proudly declared this a triumph of "flight stability" and "landing capability," which is corporate speak for 'Hey, at least it didn't do a fiery somersault into a mountain!'.
Toshihiro Mibe, Global CEO of Honda said of this achievement, "We believe that rocket research is a meaningful endeavor that leverages Honda’s technological strengths." Honda's ultimate goal is to reach suborbital launch capability by 2029, paving the way for services like wide-area communication for connected Honda mobility products."
Meanwhile, a couple of days later in Rio Grande Valley, South Texas, SpaceX's tenth Starship flight test faced another setback (the last one being the eighth). While preparing for a six-engine static fire (a mere warm-up, mind you), the craft blew up due to the failure of a composite overwrapped pressure vessel (COPV) tank.
Just a scratch
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 19, 2025
Of course, being masters of understatements, SpaceX called the explosion a "sudden energetic event." Meanwhile, SpaceX founder Elon Musk commented on X, "Just a scratch."
Understandably, the Starship was a complete loss, whereas the surrounding area around the stand suffered damage as well. Gratefully, no one was injured at the time of the occurrence.
So, while Honda is taking adorable baby steps into space, aiming for orbital communication deployment, SpaceX is still embracing its inner pyrotechnician this year, building bigger rockets and more explosive test flights. One can only hope these two giants never decide to collaborate. Imagine a Honda-designed Starship so reliable it never explodes, but so boring it only goes to the grocery store.
Understandably, the Starship was a complete loss, whereas the surrounding area around the stand suffered damage as well. Gratefully, no one was injured at the time of the occurrence.
So, while Honda is taking adorable baby steps into space, aiming for orbital communication deployment, SpaceX is still embracing its inner pyrotechnician this year, building bigger rockets and more explosive test flights. One can only hope these two giants never decide to collaborate. Imagine a Honda-designed Starship so reliable it never explodes, but so boring it only goes to the grocery store.
