Japan eyes H3 rocket’s maiden flight on Monday after aborted attempt

Japan plans to launch its new flagship H3 rocket for the first time on Monday after a technical glitch forced it to abort moments before launch in mid-February, a source familiar with planning said Friday.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has set a period until March 10 for the maiden flight of the successor rocket to its reliable H2A launch vehicle. It will lift off from the Tanegashima Space Center on Tanegashima Island in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima.

The Feb. 17 launch was aborted after an electrical current from the airframe’s battery to its main engine’s control unit wa...