Answer: Intelligence gathering for national security
Notes: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries achieved a milestone by launching the 48th H-IIA rocket, carrying Japan's Information-Gathering Satellite "Optical-8." The successful launch, announced on social media X, underscores the reliability of the H-IIA, with a commendable success rate of 97.92% since its inception in 2001 under the development of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Japan is set to retire the H-IIA after two more launches, paving the way for the H3 as its successor. However, the transition has faced challenges, notably with JAXA's first test launch of the H3 experiencing failure in March the previous year.
