Satellite News has learned that Japan’s government has approved plans to launch a satellite early next year. According to an Associated Press report, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will launch a weather satellite in February. Space mission in Japan had been suspended since an H-2A rocket carrying a pair of spy satellites went off course and had to be destroyed by mission controllers.

The satellite, which will be launched on a redesigned H-2A rocket, will track weather patterns and offer air traffic communications services in the Asia-Pacific region, the report said. It will replace the non-functioning Himawari-5 weather satellite, the report added.