Japan's ASTRO-E X-ray astronomy observatory failed to reach orbit when the M-V rocket's first-stage solid motor lost thrust about 41 seconds after liftoff from Uchinoura, traced to a detached ceramic nozzle insulator; the satellite was lost on a suborbital trajectory and later replaced by Suzaku (Astro-E2) in 2005.
- Outcome
- Failure
- Orbit
- LEO
- Low Earth orbit
- Payload to orbit
- Did not reach orbit
- Flight
- 3rd
- of 7 M-V flights
- Date and time
- 10 February 2000, 01:30 UTC
- Rocket
- M-V
- Builder
- IHI
- Launch site
- Mu Center, Uchinoura Space Center, Japan
- Payload
- Astrophysics
- Launches in 2000
- 10th of 85