No Wall is Insurmountable

On February 17, 2024, triumphant cheers erupted at the Tanegashima Space Center. The launch of the H3 rocket, Japan’s next-generation mainstay launch vehicle that will shoulder the future of Japan's space development, had a successful flight. Masashi Okada, the project’s head, walked through a path marked by unimaginably difficult trials and tribulations before achieving this monumental feat. His journey, which was marked by passion, setbacks, and unwavering resolve, offers powerful lessons for everyone.

——Last February, the H3 rocket launch under your guidance was a magnificent success. Congratulations.

Mr. Okada: Thank you very much.
The H3 rocket is Japan's next-generation mainstay launch vehicle. The term mainstay signifies its identity as a foundational pillar in our space mission. Ultimately, the main goal for the H3 rocket is to create a lasting method to ensure we are always ready to journey into the cosmos. As rocket development exponentially accelerates, we have completely changed the model of our main launch vehicle for the first time in thirty years, and I feel relieved that we were able to successfully launch the H3 rocket.

——The televised scenes of you and your team sharing tearful handshakes and embraces amidst the celebration left a powerful impression.

Mr. Okada: While every successful rocket launch is a cause for happiness, the joy when the H3 rocket succeeded for the first time was exceptional. This moment was hard-won, arriving only after we navigated tremendous difficulties in the engine’s development, and the failure of our first test vehicle.

——Now that you have passed the baton of project manager to another, what endeavors are you currently dedicating yourself to?

Mr. Okada: As the executive director, I'm involved in the management of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) while overseeing the entire rocket program as Director of the Space Transportation Technology.
　One pillar of this section is the H3 rocket, and the other is the Epsilon rocket. With the successful launch of the H3 rocket, our focus has now turned to establishing it on a firm operation footing, refining its system so that it can be regularly launched about six times per year. The Epsilon, by contrast, is a smaller launch vehicle that specializes in launching compact spacecraft like the celebrated, Hayabusa. While working on the development of these two rockets, I'm also tackling a broader question. One that asks what form the future of space-capable rockets should be.

——What specific vision are you seeking to realize?

Mr. Okada: The technology that propels rockets evolves with astonishing speed. In the United States, regarded as the global leader in this field, launch vehicles capable of returning to their launch site and flying multiple times have been developed. We can no longer envision the future merely as an extension of what we've done so far. What is required is a major shift in the way we think.
　There are two main forces driving humanity toward space.
One is our desire to realize a better life on Earth. Space possesses a wonderful gift to us, the special ability to view Earth from afar. Around this vantage point, an ever-widening range of new needs has emerged. For example, we can now make phone calls even in the heart of a desert, thanks to the many satellites launched by Elon Musk that encircle Earth. Going forward, more powerful and more economical rockets are needed to launch more advanced satellites, those essential for disaster prevention, security, or autonomous driving.
　The other force is the inherent human urge to know the unknown. Space remains an expanse filled with mysteries, and the rockets that venture out into it are the modern counterparts of ships that once set sailed during the great age of exploration.
　Given these circumstances, what's required in rocket development lies in a single pursuit: how seamlessly we can get out into space. We strive to create launch vehicles capable of transporting payloads more safely, more economically, and in greater volume. To reach this ideal, we devote ourselves to research day by day.

——From this discussion, we can sense the depth of your passion for rockets. What led you to first step onto this path?

Mr. Okada: The beginning of this passion began when I was fifteen years old. I happened to see on television the launch footage of Saturn V, the immense vehicle that America developed for the Apollo program. At that moment, a revelation struck me.
　As a colossal amount of energy converged at a single point, the massive Saturn V rocket, over 100 meters tall, accelerated furiously as it broke free from Earth’s grasp. Witnessing that incredible spectacle ignited its own fire in my heart. From that moment, I knew that rockets were my calling, and it seems I've lived everyday with nothing else in my mind or heart.

——That sounds like it was an intense formative experience.

Mr. Okada: It was. Until then, I confess I was not the best at studying and excellence seemed to evade me no matter how hard I tried. However, when I looked into institutions where I could study rockets, there were only one or two. One of them was the University of Tokyo. Realizing how high the hurdle was before me, I immediately began studying for the entrance examination in my third year of middle school, and by some miracle, managed to pass.

——So, driven by your passion for rockets, you won admission to the University of Tokyo.

Mr. Okada: This much I can say with complete confidence—I studied almost to the point of dying. I did not give myself any avenue of retreat and staked everything on applying to just one school.
　However, since my studying was tailored to the exam, I failed to acquire any real academic ability. Immediately after entering university, I was stunned by the gap between me and my peers. In the end, I failed to advance to the aeronautics department where I could study rocket engineering, and was forced to repeat a year.
　From there, I told myself that my current situation is not sufficient to reach my goal. Thus, I began anew from scratch again, and managed to advance to the aeronautics department I had longed for.

Mr. Okada: However, that wasn't the only setback I endured.
　When I was crushed by the realization of how far behind I was with my peers, I fell into a state which we call Gogatsubyo, a psychological state where one is despondent. To escape this pit, I became absorbed in flying, but in my fourth year of university, I had a hang-gliding accident and was rushed to the hospital. I suffered injuries so severe they could have been fatal. Even after being discharged, I spent nearly three years on crutches, and it forced me to repeat another year.

——You must have gone through truly arduous days.

Mr. Okada: Indeed. However, if I hadn't gotten injured, I might not have pursued rocket development. In truth, around that time, I considered going down a different path. Then the accident occurred. During my long hospitalization, with ample time for reflection, I came to realize that my dream lied with the stars and that I truly wished with my heart to pursue rockets.
　That said, during my convalescence, I was tormented by loneliness, as if I alone had been left behind while everyone else moved forward. The memory of that isolation has never left. Yet it's thanks to that experience that I learned, however imperfectly, how to empathize with the feelings of those in vulnerable positions.
　My emotional support during that time was Misao Yanai, the head nurse who oversaw my rehabilitation. She was about my mother's age, and simply having her come to check on me in my hospital room would mysteriously ease the pain. Her presence was a blessing for which I remain grateful.
Still, the incident caused my parents to deeply worry about me.

——Understandably so. After such an accident, they must have been very concerned.

Mr. Okada: Afterwards, I received a letter from my father. It contained only a single line from Classic of Filial Piety: “Our body, hair, and skin are gifts from our parents. To preserve them is the beginning of filial piety.” To cherish this irreplaceable body given to me by my parents, well, that is where filial piety begins. These words pierced my heart—I still keep that letter carefully preserved to this day.
　Fortunately, both my parents are still alive, and I strive, in whatever ways I can, to be a filial son.

——Even those days of hardship weren't just painful, but they brought you great gains as well.

Mr. Okada: Absolutely. After surviving that serious injury, I felt I was given a second chance at life. When I think of my life in that manner, as another chance gifted to me, I cease to be moved by fear of outcomes and instead can step forward with greater boldness. Of course, that does not mean I approach work with a careless attitude, but since I no longer fret much about what will become of me, my heart has grown lighter.

——What kind of work have you undertaken since joining NASDA which is now JAXA?

Mr. Okada: I've been at JAXA for over thirty-five years now, and for nearly all that time I've been involved in developing rockets.
　The first five years after joining was filled with days conducting rocket engine combustion tests at facilities in Tanegashima in Kagoshima Prefecture and Kakuda in Miyagi Prefecture. Later, I returned to headquarters to join the rocket project division. At that time, Japan was flying its flagship rocket, the H2, but then we suffered two major setbacks in a row. The launch of the fifth and eighth H2 rockets failed in succession. In particular, for the eighth rocket, I served as a member of the secretariat, spending about two years investigating the cause and working to build the consensus necessary to secure approval for the next launch.

——That must have gained experience that would later prove invaluable for the H3 rocket project.

Mr. Okada: That's right. Many of JAXA's projects operate under immense pressure and strict deadlines, but through it all I've always kept in mind the phrase, “Make haste slowly.” This is apparently a saying from the Roman Emperor Augustus, and it was beautifully translated into Japanese by Takeshi Kaikou, a writer I loved reading in my youth.
　So, even when time is limited, rather than becoming anxious and losing composure, the saying teaches me to first step back and maintain a firm control over myself and then advance with purpose. In other words, it is a principle where composure expedites.
　Furthermore, through the failure of the H2 rockets, I became strongly conscious of whom we were developing rockets for. Initially, I started this path because I loved rockets. But after a launch fails, I was faced with the immense cost and lost opportunity it brought, which forced me to ask whom this is for. The conclusion I reached was that this was for the benefit of everyone. It is not for some abstract concept, like a nation, but for all of us who share this planet. We're working together with everyone to contribute to their happiness and well-being. This is the purpose we must never lose sight of.

——You were appointed as project manager for the H3 rocket in 2015, correct?

Mr. Okada: Yes and I was fifty-three at the time. Although I had been involved in rocket development throughout my career, my work had largely been in a supportive capacity rather than being part of the main project teams. Thus, the assignment was a complete surprise.
　The development of the H3 launch vehicle required a national investment of 200 billion yen, and I spent two years helping lay the groundwork to secure the necessary funds and approval. I was deeply relieved when the project was finally greenlit.
　Then, out of the blue, I was called in by an executive who delivered a line I will not forget. “We’re introducing you as the project manager of the H3 rocket in Paris in ten days. Do you have a passport?” (laughs).
　And just like that I was leading a consortium of hundreds of engineers, including those from JAXA and other manufacturers working with us on the development, totaling over 150 partner companies. A massive organization where everyone worked toward a common goal. I had never been in a position of such scale and responsibility before.

——How did you approach leading such a large and diverse team?

Mr. Okada: I started with a simple truth. Nothing can be accomplished by the power of one person alone. Especially for a large project such as the H3 rocket, success is possible only when everyone joins forces.
　Descartes, in his Discourse on Method, advises his readers to divide difficulties. When accomplishing great things, it is vital to first break them into smaller, doable tasks, then gather together what each person has completed into a unified whole. What matters above all, I believe, is the ability to weave everyone’s strength to create a fabric stronger than the individual threads.
　The essential point is that members recognize each other's differences in values while advancing together in the same direction. Even when observing the same object, individuals do not necessarily see it the same way. When work is delegated to members and the results end up different from what is expected, it's because what one intended to convey was understood somewhat differently.
　Therefore, I placed great importance on communication with members. It is said that ninety percent of a leader's job is communication, and I truly believe that to be true.
　Among the most important skills in communicating, the ability to listen is particularly important. To listen attentively, to carefully discern the essence of what they're saying, and to align that understanding with your own thoughts is of the utmost importance.
　As I mentioned earlier, I cannot accomplish anything alone. I've always been conscious of my limits and that I cannot achieve anything without the strength of others. With that awareness, I've faced members with sincerity.

——What was the greatest difficulty you faced in developing the H3 rocket?

Mr. Okada: The development of the main engine was extremely difficult.
　To put it simply, we set out to scale up an engine that had functioned successfully with its small size to a version about ten times larger. It wasn't a simple matter of just making an enlarged copy, instead it was a challenge that revealed multiple issues, issues that didn't manifest as problems when the rocket was smaller.
　We had anticipated this to some extent, so we conducted repeated tests and methodically eliminated issues in the early stages while designing the engine. After countless struggles, we were finally reaching the summit of this arduous mountain, and were about 80% to completion. We needed to get through one final stretch of continuous testing to complete it, and it was then when trouble struck. Less than a year remained until the scheduled launch.

——It is unfortunate to have issues occur at the last moment.

Mr. Okada: We had encountered several minor problems before, and we managed to resolve them. Yet two major failures, like twin hammer blows, occurred simultaneously in completely different sections. We all held our heads in our hands, thinking, “This is bad.”
　Rocket development starts with a commitment to launch within a specific year. Earlier, I mentioned the phrase “make haste slowly,” but in such situations, composure is hard to maintain. Thus, one takes quick stopgap measures, but they don't work at all. Problems that emerge after every conceivable effort has already been made cannot be fixed with simple solutions. The days passed, and we still didn't know how to resolve them.

——How did you finally manage to solve this impasse?

Mr. Okada: I steeled myself, sought to postpone the launch, and conducted a thorough, ground-up review.
　For example, consider an instance where there's an unexpected vibration occurring in a component. Since we don't know the cause, initial theory-based countermeasures proved to be ineffective. In the end, we built a new apparatus from scratch to measure that vibration. By installing it at the site of the anomaly and conducting combustion tests, we were able to gain an intimate, tangible understanding of the underlying physical phenomena. Only then could we implement an effective solution.
　As we tackled these issues one by one with determination, applying this methodical approach, our vision gradually began to clear. Surmounting this mountain of a hurdle was tremendously difficult, requiring every member to engage with the technology head-on and dedicate themselves completely to the problem-solving effort.

——How did you inspire everyone during the midst of such a crisis?

Mr. Okada: Rather than me inspiring them, I was often encouraged by the team’s commitment to the engineering challenges the technology posed. All of us, including myself, felt discouraged at times, thinking the issue was insurmountable. At such times, we encouraged each other by reaffirming our mission’s significance, reminding each other that if we don't overcome this, there will be no future for Japanese rockets and that there are people counting on this launch.
　There were times I had to adopt a sterner role. I had them show me every process for each task broken down to the hour, scrutinizing the schedule and tightening the whole project by compressing areas and timeframes. With this, I must admit, I am uncertain if I was a good project manager or not (laughs).
　Yet we persisted. We conducted nearly a hundred combustion tests and made countless design changes. After a two-year delay, we finally succeeded in developing a new main engine and were able to proceed with the launch.

——The launch of the first test vehicle was on March 7, 2023, correct?

Mr. Okada: Yes. The main engine, a product of painstaking development, worked beautifully and carried the massive H3 rocket up into the sky. Its performance was perfect.
　However, the second-stage engine failed to ignite. The engine was an improved version of the engine from the H2A rocket, which was our previous flagship rocket before the H3 with a 90% success rate. For a component with such a robust legacy to fail was a shock.
　Initially, I clung to a glimmer of hope that the ignition was simply delayed. Yet one minute passed, then two, and there still was no sign of activation. Finally, the flight safety officer in another room issued the destruct command. It felt like receiving a death sentence, and I was left stunned for a while.

——How did you recover from such a setback?

Mr. Okada: First, I accurately summarized the known facts and held a press conference, while in parallel, the engineering teams immediately began investigating the cause. And then our long, arduous summer, one with no way out, began.

——The investigation must have been another daunting challenge.

Mr. Okada: The process of finding the cause without concrete evidence was hellish. For the first few months, we remained clueless to what the cause was. However, if we concluded that the cause was unknown, the H3 rocket program would be shuttered.
　We employed a methodology known as fault tree analysis, and systematically mapped every conceivable cause. We started by asking ourselves what the possible causes could be. From there we dug deeper, asking what had led to those causes. In this manner, we kept branching out to look for the root cause. The documents that came from this system were voluminous. We examined each cause one by one and eliminated those we determined to be incorrect. If we eliminated every possibility, the cause would remain unknown. Thus, we felt the profound weight of each judgment call.
　What amplified the difficulty was that the rocket itself was gone, leaving no physical evidence we could use. With only fragmented data available, we used our imagination to narrow down the possibilities. We casted the smallest net possible, convinced that the root cause we were trying to catch was definitely caught within our cast. After nearly a year of struggle, we finally managed to implement appropriate countermeasures and made it the launch of second test vehicle.

——How did you approach and manage your team under such severe circumstances?

Mr. Okada: In the aftermath of the launch’s failure, all the staff could be broadly divided into three groups.
　First, was the team that developed the main engine, which performed perfectly. They had every reason to celebrate but were robbed of that moment. Then there was the team responsible for what came after the second-stage ignition. They had been eagerly waiting for their turn, but the command to abort was issued before their chance to shine. Finally, at the epicenter of the failure, was the staff responsible for the second-stage engine that failed to ignite.
　I made a conscious effort to understand the emotional state of all the members. I considered each of their respective positions and worked alongside them as we investigated the cause and prepared for the subsequent launch preparations. For some, this was their first failure and my own history of having navigated various setbacks may have provided a degree of reassurance.

——And then, on February 17, 2024, you and your team pulled off a successful test flight of the H3 rocket on your second attempt.

Mr. Okada: It was a success. Ten hours before launch, we moved the rocket to the launch pad to be filled with fuel for about thirty minutes. During that time, while making final checks of the vehicle, I spoke with each staff member. They all had a serene and resolute expression, the look of a team that knew they had done everything they could. All that was left was to entrust the outcome to heaven. I believe I shared that same sentiment with them.
　I had decided that this H3 rocket project would be the final endeavor of my career as a rocket engineer. As it ascended, my heart was full of relief, knowing we had safely and successfully completed our mission.

——The pressure of leading a project that required such a substantial national investment must have been titanic.

Mr. Okada: You're absolutely right. However, since I knew I couldn't bear everything on my own shoulders, my approach was rooted in the conviction that we would all do this together.
　Nevertheless, when the first launch was postponed and then failed, the sense of responsibility was weighty. The H3 rocket was also carrying the DAICHI-3 (ALOS-3) satellite, which had cost over twenty billion yen to develop, and its loss set off a domino-like cascade of setbacks across many related plans.

——How did you confront these trials?

Mr. Okada: To be honest, there were nights I couldn't sleep and times so daunting that my legs would freeze with fear. However, I knew that there is no future if one remains still. It's important to move forward step by step even in the midst of hardship. I pressed on, believing with all my heart that the future would surely be brighter, doing what needed to be done and fulfilling the mission I was given. There was nothing else to do but that.
　A moment for which I am grateful is when I received many letters of encouragement from all over the country when my spirit was on the verge of breaking. I wrote, by hand, my replies to every letter I received, while reaffirming my determination to launch the second test vehicle.

——Amazing. You replied even amid a time when your work demanded so much from you.

Mr. Okada: Absolutely. I could not allow myself to neglect these connections I have with others. Each one became a source of strength beyond measure, and even a single connection can sometimes blossom into something far greater.
　After the H3 rocket's successful launch, I also paid a visit to Ms. Yanai, the head nurse who took care of me when I was hospitalized years ago after my accident.

——Ah, you went to share the news with the one that tended to you.

Mr. Okada: Our connection goes back forty years, to my university days. Not just with Ms. Yanai, but I kept in touch with several others who I was hospitalized with. Each of these encounters is unforgettable to me, and I consider them lifelong treasures. Conversely, I find it difficult to connect with people who don't value such ties.
　It's the same at work. If I'm going to work with someone, I appreciate people who value their colleagues and put their soul into what they do. So of course, each individual of every project that I had worked in is like a precious family member to me.

——What qualities do you believe are necessary for a leader to guide an organization to success?

Mr. Okada: I'm hardly the sort of leader qualified to speak about such matters, but I think it's better not to rely too much on superficial techniques or facile words. Work should be approached with a sincere mindset, and it would be good if this attitude is shared among all team members.
　While I worked with the resolve to take sole responsibility in the end, I’ve never tried to forcefully drag everyone forward. What's required of a leader is to draw out everyone's abilities and assist them express those abilities with ease.
　Also, a leader must foster a team where members with different values advance together as they mutually recognize one another. Where each person remains mindful of their neighbor's work as they fulfill their own responsibilities, and where each section is connected by invisible horizontal threads of understanding.

——The development of the H3 rocket seems to have been a journey that recalls the saying, “Success is always forged from days of adversity.”

Mr. Okada: If we take “success” to refer to the H3 rocket, that's exactly the case. There were countless excruciating days, but I've never once regretted choosing this path. We've worked with the conviction that if we stopped, there would be no future for Japan's space program.
　When asked for my autograph, I add the words, “There is no wall that is insurmountable.” The phrase reflects the essence of what I experienced working on the H3 rocket project.

——What a phrase. There is no wall that is insurmountable.

Mr. Okada: There's a view that considers failure as the natural outcome of challenge and accepts this process as positive, and I agree with this sentiment. However, when it comes to launching rockets, I still believe failures are something to be avoided at all costs. Thus, by the time we are ready for a launch, we make sure we have done everything humanly possible on the ground.
　But we are not gods. It is impossible to achieve absolute success in rocket development since there are numerous technical barriers that stand in our way. That said, the past decade working on the H3 rocket has been spent diligently overcoming each of those barriers one by one.
　What I truly learned over those ten years is that engineers become stronger through failure. There were days filled with crushing trials during development. Yet each time we overcame a barrier through relentless perseverance, both our technical capabilities and our strength as human beings improved dramatically.
　The H3 rocket was completed after a full-scale redesign that occurs once every thirty years for Japan’s flagship rockets. The span between rocket generations is even longer than the Shikinen Sengu, the renowned ritual at Ise Grand Shrine that takes place once every twenty years, and most members of the previous development team had already retired. In their place stood a new generation of engineers. Watching them face one difficulty after another, and to witness how they grew stronger both mentally and technically, was profoundly moving. To see their growth from the sidelines filled me with confidence and hope.

——In other words those days of hardship were not in vain.

Mr. Okada: As I mentioned earlier, developing a rocket is a task done together with everyone. My hope is to continue this work so that people on Earth can live with peace of mind and happiness, even if only by a small measure. At the same time, I wish to help revitalize Japan through space.
　And if among the children who have seen the H3 rocket, there are some whose hearts are stirred, as mine once was, to dream of working in space, nothing would bring me greater joy.